Mind's Wonderland
by Storm Skyress
Summary: In the eyes of Ai Takamiya, the world around her appears monochrome. And she hates it. Longing to escape her world, Ai encounters the famous book of 'Alice in Wonderland' which grants her that very wish. Now, as Ai finds herself in the colourful paradise of Wonderland. However, not everything is what it appears to be. Is Wonderland really a haven or is it a hell in disguise?
1. Reality

**I've officially give up trying to upload this story on other websites. Wattpad didn't feel right with me and also I couldn't get enough reviews to keep me motivated with continuing this story there. That's why I am back here...**

 **Yes.**

 **I'M BACK!**

 **One thing I want to say is a big, Big, BIG THANK YOU to all of my readers who have followed, reviewed, and favourite me or my stories! You don't know how touched I am even after years of absence from , you guys still read my old stories and support my writing.**

 **Gosh, I'm choking up *sniff***

 **Anyway, as for this story, I've been working on it for... years. It took a long time to plan the story's concept etc. Plus ALL characters here are original characters made from my heart and soul! So no copying or me be VERY ANGRY! :|**

 **I decided to start without cutting this first chapter, just to see how things go. If you guys prefer shorter chapters, then let me know cause I can't stop my fingers from typing at times. Thank you again, and if any of you actually read this message, you get a BIGGER thank you and even a cookie! Let's get into the story! :D**

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Mind's Wonderland  
Reality

The sky was an uneasy red, with wispy clouds rolling in the crimson like a gory version of Van Gogh's _Starry Night_. Bare tree branches reached up to the bleeding heavens, like corpses silently pleading for mercy. A lone wind howled through the dead forest, rustling a clearing full of red spider lilies.

Something lay in the middle of the blossoms, immobile. Dainty slippers cladded petite feet and a gothic dress clothed the developing torso. Arms were spread out, each covered by elbow gloves. Dirty blonde hair sprawled on the ground, mangled bangs masking the eyes and a ribbon pinned limply to the head.

The face was ghostly pale. Cheeks stained with tears.

And the lips.

Cracked lips, frozen in a deranged grin. It was a girl, in her bloom of youth, lying in the field. Lying lifelessly in the field, with her delirious smile to the bleeding sky.

Suddenly lanky humanoid figures appeared like the shadows they are, towering over the body. Empty white eyes stared at the girl before spindly limbs reached out for her.

The wind fell quiet as sounds of a meal crawled through the air.

A silhouette stood on a thick bare branch, with an egg-white moon behind him. Menacing triangular ears protruded out of his skull. Indigo eyes watched impassively at the shadows gathering in the clearing. A heavy sigh emitted from his lips.

"Looks like Alice has failed, again"

* * *

A train screamed as it rushed past a station. Inside, pivoted grab handles swung to the train's movement as passengers shifted both impatiently and uncomfortably around each other. Soft murmurs, coughs and muffled music from headphones emitted into the cramp air. Next to one of the train doors, a girl in uniform stood with a small paperback clutched open in her hand.

Slowly, she raised her head from pages to look outside the glass panels of the door. Buildings competing to be the tallest, whirled past in a grey blur.

 _This world is stupid._

Her caramel brown hair was swept into a side ponytail and her fringe was pinned to the side. Pools of lavender stared coldly from behind her frames, out to the cityscape.

 _This is a monochromatic world._

A mechanic voice from the train announce system mumbled the upcoming station. Passengers readied themselves. The girl closed her book, reluctantly before slipping it safely in her bag and removing her spectacles.

 _I hate this world._

As train slowed down and the metal doors opened, passengers filed out into a crowd with the mechanic voice overhead, announcing the station's name. Black suits and uniform coats stood stark against white blouses. Faces in the crowd were ashen and blank as they walked out of the station into the streets. Soles of shoes cluttered onto the dark grey pavement, creating white noise. The girl walked in the midst.

 _Only through books, can I escape this world and to a much better one._

She tightly clutched the straps of her bag, which held her precious paperback. A name tag dangled from the strap.

Stopping at the lights, she momentarily closed her eyes, shutting off the sight of black and white. Yet, the roar of an overhead plane made her eyelids open. She raised her head among the lowered ones. The grey sky, streaked with a single line of white, reflected in her bright pupils.

 _If I had a wish, just one wish, it would be to take me away from this world._

The lights went off, with the green pixelated man indicating to walk. The crowd shifted into motion, walking around a girl in uniform, staring at the sky. A breeze blew through the grey cityscape, sending the name tag dancing. The name inscribed in neat handwriting, read 'Ai Takamiya'.

* * *

The chime of the bell interrupted her daydream. Ai blinked once, only to find herself in her classroom; the teacher desperately reminding students to study on the recently touched subject while classmates hurriedly packed up for recess.

Clouds lazily drifted by from the window where she sat. Her book lay in front of her, completed. Pulling her gaze away from the endless grey, Ai watched the scene of her classroom, from her desk.

Boys either hurried out of the classroom doors in a great big rush or gathered in groups, pulling electronic consoles, or discussing the latest featured visual novel. Girls gathered in gossiping groups, exchanging quiet news before erupting in giggles and existing the classroom to eat.

No one came to Ai.

Nor did she approach anyone.

It was the same scene as yesterday. And the day before. And the one before that day as well. Every day was the same; the monochromatic scene of students wrapped up in their personal lives or their existence revolved around the hypnotic screen of their handheld device.

Finally, exasperated form the gradient of grey, Ai stood abruptly from her desk and walked out of the classroom using the back door.

She left, unnoticed.

* * *

The sweet taste of chocolate spread across her tongue as the thin biscuit stick broke, as it met Ai's teeth. The biscuit stick grew shorter and shorter in a matter of a few seconds, before disappearing between her lips. She instinctively pulled a fresh stick from the box, hidden in her skirt pocket, while walking through the school hallway.

Chocolate was one of her few favourite things, besides books. Having it as a coating on Pocky, made it even more enjoyable to her. Its sweetness mixed with a hint of bitterness reminded Ai of her nostalgic childhood before-

A memory flashed in Ai's mind, where a voice laced with static rasped out from the answering machine.

" _Please call, when you have time"._

The Pocky stick snapped as Ai harshly bit down on it, with the memory thrown back into the depths of her head. A mixture of anger and betrayal began to simmer inside Ai. 'Why did I remind myself of _that_?' she fumed, 'I need to think of something else to preoccupy my mind or else I'm going to go mad from boredom.'

Ai Takamiya simply cannot tolerant being boredom. She loathes it.

Being a second-year student in high school, many would be preoccupied with studying or contemplating on their future but Ai would rather allow her mind to wonder elsewhere, away from the suffocating school rooms that forces the pressuring thoughts into students' heads.

An overhead sign came into view, with the kanji for 'library' printed on its clean surface. Ai halted in her tracks. The library was often her stowaway since it was usually vacant, unless exams were near.

She glowered at the sign before finishing the stick in her mouth. 'Maybe they have new books ordered in,' she thought before sliding the door open.

Sunlight filtered in through large windows, making the dust particles in the air glow like pixies. Tall wooden shelves lined themselves like soldiers in the centre of the area, with chairs and tables scattered about in the remaining space.

A grimace tugged at Ai's face. It was the same old library. What else did she expect? For herself to be magically transported to a fantasy world by simply opening the library door? She sighed at the childish nature of her imagination as she stepped in, sliding the door to a close behind her. Libraries cannot materialise their fictional characters, no matter how hard they try.

Ai bruised herself into browsing the shelves. Her fingertips ran along the book spines as her eyes carefully scanned the titles. She could almost hear the whispers of the books, begging her to read them. Regrettably, she had already read a quarter of these shelves' contents.

Soft bubbles of laughter drifted into the air, drawing Ai's attention from the shelves to the nearby windows. A group of girls were seated outside, under the shade of a tree. Suddenly one of them pulled out a thin rectangular object from their pocket. Everyone posed and smiled. There was a flash of light from the phone, before the group huddled around the screen to see the selfie. Their laughter came bubbling up once more.

"We should take another one!"

"Yes, a funny one this time!"

"Funny face guys!"

Ai allowed her gaze to linger on the girls, before turning back to the shelves. "Narcissists," she scoffed. Yet there was a small pang in her chest.

She never had real friends before.

No one had taken an interest in Ai nor did she do same. What only existed between her and her classmates were small exchanges of greetings and words; good mornings, can I borrow something, see you later's, thank you's.

Short.

Brief.

Ephemeral.

She became someone in the background, only to be sought out for someone's benefits then forgotten once more. And so, Ai became an observer of the world around her.

A 'stupid world'.

Suddenly, a flash of blue caught the corner of Ai's eye. There on the nearby tables, lying plainly in sight, was a book. Her brows furrowed in confusion.

 _When was that book placed there? Did someone pass by and put it there? No, if someone did then I would have heard them… Then how?_

She slowly walked over to the table and lifted the book in her hands. The book's fabric cover was peacock blue and calligraphic writing was printed in its surface, reading _The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland_.

Ai's eyes lit up. This was a famous classic, written by Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, under the pen name of Lewis Carroll. Oddly though, the author's name was nowhere printed on the cover. Also, with Ai's regular browsing, she had never once seen this book on the shelves, until now.

Taking a seat, Ai began to flip through the book. She had never read the book word by word but she was familiar with the plot.

One summer afternoon, naïve ten-year-old Alice followed a white rabbit down a hole to a place called Wonderland, where she encountered a variety of different characters. In the end, she wakes up to find her adventures was a dream or a figment of her imagination.

Ai stared at the illustration depicting Alice waking up, before leaning back on her chair to give a sigh.

"Well, wouldn't that be nice?" she said aloud, to no one in particular, "To escape from this world and go to, Wonderland." There was a silence as her words floated in the air above her. Suddenly the nearby window was blown open by a strong gust of wind, taking Ai by surprise. "What…?"

The sound of trees rustling engulfed what silence remain as leaves blew in, and the gust turned into a wailing gale. Ai scrunched her eyes closed to keep them from watering as her ears rang from the roar of the trees' canopy, the whistling of the wind, and the sound of the book's pages flapping madly.

Then, all was quiet.

As Ai slowly opened her eyes, her heart skipped a beat. Everything was bathed in an eerie purple light. The sky was an ashy violet and the trees were stripped bare of their leaves, reverting them into skeletons. She stiffly looked back down to the book that lay in her lap.

An illustration of the Cheshire Cat, grinned back up at her.

With a yelp caught in her throat, Ai leapt from her chair, allowing the book to collapse to the ground. Dry leaves crunched under her shoe as she ran to the window. The girls had disappeared from the lawn below.

It was quiet.

Very quiet.

Ai forced herself to breathe evenly. It didn't help calm her rattling heart. Where did everyone go? Did the bell ring? No, she would have heard the bell. Then how…? Ai swallowed the raising lump in her throat.

"Hello? Is anyone here?"

Her voice bounced back with chilling clarity. Not even the librarian had replied. Forcing her feet to move, Ai walked in between the shelves. Their tall shadows were cast onto her small figure, as she eyed the library door.

There had to be someone here. No one can logically disappear from the campus in a matter of seconds. Ai's finger trembled as she grasped the door handle. She took a deep breath.

 _I'm not scared. I'm not scared. I'm NOT scared._

She slid the door open.

The corridor was dark with skeletal shadows of trees casted onto the floor from the strange purple light. Her shoe soles rang loudly, as Ai walked down. Her mind fighting to ignore the dark.

 _There will be teachers in the staff room. I'll go there and ask them where the students went. Yeah, that will work. That will-_

Her trace of thought was interrupted, by a voice.

A child-like voice, singing a tune.

 _Tra-la-la-la-la~_

The adrenaline rushed through Ai's veins like ice, as her heart pounded loudly in her chest. The voice was coming from behind her.

 _Tra-la-la-la-la~_

The tune resonated through the empty dark corridor. Was it getting closer?

 _Tra-la-la-la-la~_

Stiffly, Ai turned around with the thumping of her heart ringing loud in her ears. And there, she saw…

A stuffed pink rabbit.

It was walking the opposite direction, in a swaying gait as if its body weight was not balanced. As it walked, it was humming the little tune. If weren't for the surroundings, Ai would admit, it looked cute.

"A toy…?" The words left her before Ai could snatch them back. She flinched as it turned around, cocking its head to the side. Its red pupils sparkled with child-like curiosity and mirth.

Almost life-like.

Suddenly, it turned and bolted off with startling speed. Impulsively, Ai ran after it. "Wait!" Questions swam around her head; how is this rabbit pink? Is it a toy? How can it walk then? How can it sing? Toys don't have eyes like that! How? HOW?

Ahead, the rabbit turned a corner and Ai found herself pumping her legs harder. She skited around the corner, just in time to see a nearby classroom door slide to a close. It had gone in there. Puffing, Ai approached the door and slid it open.

The classroom was empty. There was no rows of desks or chairs. Only the teacher's pedestal remained glued to its usual station. She blinked. How could the rabbit disappear so quickly in such an empty room?

Ai began searching in all the possible hiding places in the classroom, inside the pedestal, in the cleaning closet and the compartments of the back shelves. The pink rabbit remained elusive.

'Where did it go?' Ai wondered as she began to slowly walk back to the door. She sighed and shook her head. Why did she even give a chase in the first place? She had better return to checking the teachers' staff room.

That was when, Ai felt her feet give way.

It was as if time slowed to a stop, as she stared down at the black abyss, yawning under her. When her mind snapped back to motion, it was too late. Time caught up and Ai plummeted down into the darkness. A scream ripping from her throat.

 _ **Say goodbye to reality.**_

* * *

 **Sooooooo... I hope you enjoyed that.**

 **To those who did read the VERY early stages of this story, I apologise if it was similar. I would really appreciate if you can leave a review, follow or favourite. Any of those would give me a drive to continue this story :)**

 **I hope to hear from any old readers too!**

 **Storm Skyress out! \\(w)/**


	2. Falling

**It's okay, Storm... Even though you didn't get any reviews, favourite or follows, it's okay... Persistence is the okay +_+**

 **This is may be another repetitive chapter so please bear with me... Next week, I'll upload another chapter and this time, hopefully, it'll be some fresh... I hope...**

 **Oh, also, I just want to mention the cover image is a painting that yours truly did. What do you think? :)**

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Mind's Wonderland  
Falling

Her arms ached. The only sound Ai could hear was her own breath, expelling from her lungs into pants. Ai winced as she felt the dull ache in her arms, grow stronger as gravity stunted her blood flow. Her grip on the thick vine tightened in desperation. She didn't know how much longer she could hold on.

After her sudden decent, Ai had managed to grab hold on one of the many vines that lined the hole. Now, it was the matter of how long she could cling onto the plantation. Taking one last look down at the impending gloom, Ai raised her head up to the pale light of the hole's opening.

"Help! Someone help me! Anyone!" she cried. Ai's own voice answered her back.

Her heart was still thumping painfully inside her chest and her grip has grown clammy. Ai could feel the eagerness of the abyss, waiting to swallow her up. In an act of desperation, she attempted to pull herself up.

A stupid choice.

Ai's tired arms slipped from the strain of her weight and darkness engulfed her, with another scream leaving her throat. Ai had never experience this amount of fear and desperation before, not in a long time. She would have normally remained silently composed, as she took on each day of life. All emotions she felt would be carefully hidden behind a mask; a mask she had spent years in building as she grew up.

But now, ever since the strange events that followed the gale, Ai had refused to accept the fact that her perfect mask was crumbling. This hole was the final straw. The darkness it held was the final impact to send Ai's perfect façade shattering into tiny pieces.

She shut her eyes tight, trying desperately to ignore the plummeting feeling in her stomach as she fell. Is this how her life was going to end? Without anyone acknowledging of her demise? Without any departing goodbyes?

Then, everything felt as if it had slowed down.

Daringly, Ai slowly opened her eyes to find she was still falling but at a much slower rate, as if the gravity level had changed. 'What's going on?' she thought, 'Surely a hole in the school wouldn't have any gravity defying mechanisms.' Any logic that Ai held in her head was slowly being scrambled.

She then heard a sound which grew louder and louder, as she continued to fall.

 _Tick-tick, tick-tick…_

It was a giant clock that was entangled in vines. The Roman numerals on its face were printed backwards with the hour and minute hands stuck, reading five minutes past one. It gave a faltering _tick_ as the second-hand attempted, fruitlessly, to advance forward. Ai stared at it in bewilderment as she fell past it, with the sound of the clock growing softer and softer.

Then, a new noise entered the air; the sound of paper, flapping in the wind, only in a greater volume. Ai turned to see a giant book, about the size of double doors. It too was entangled in the black vined walls. The book's pages were flipping madly but Ai managed to catch glimpses of the black inked illustrations. It was the very book which started all this strangeness; Lewis Carroll's _Alice in Wonderland_!

Suddenly, the pages came to a stop, to open at a certain section.

A yelp caught Ai's throat as a giant illustration of the Cheshire Cat smiled at her. However, somehow, someone had coloured its pupils a deep indigo, making the feline's eyes appear life-like. A chill travelled down Ai's spine as she locked eye contact with it. Its gaze was almost piercing, as if it was trying to stare into the very depths of her soul. Ai fought back a whimper. Soon she fell past the book, but the sensation of being watched never left her.

As Ai continued her fall, her eyes slowly adjusted to the gloom and there she saw the leaves of the vines, were as big as a small table. And on some of the leaves, rested old-fashioned furniture and antiques.

There was a gramophone whose crank was being turned by an unseen hand, with the reproducer needle steadying travelling along the spinning record, yet no music was heard from the horn. Except for the noise of the turning crank.

Ai then saw a device, that she'd only read about in book but never seen in person before. A Victorian zoetrope, a pre-film animation device which creates the illusion of motion through a picture sequence by spinning. There was an unknown light source coming from inside the zoetrope wall and by peering through the holes, Ai saw a repeated animation of a flying bird falling to its demise.

The sight left an uneasy feeling rippling through Ai's body as the strange gravitation pulled her further down. She saw and passed by more strange items either resting on the leaves, being entangled in the mast of vines, or protruding out of the hole's walls.

Then, a soft light amongst the gloom, caught Ai's eye. A small glass bottle was resting on a leaf, just within Ai's reach. Like a moth to light, she stretched out her arm and felt the cool surface of the bottle against her skin as her hand closed around it.

The light was coming from the liquid inside the bottle, which had captured the colours of the spectrum. There was a brown paper tag tied to the bottle's neck. In delicate calligraphy, the label read 'Dreams'.

"I sit even possible to contain dreams in a condense form?" Ai wondered aloud. Suddenly, the bright colours of the liquid morphed into a sinister shade of black and red, with the label changing into a demonic scribbled reading 'Nightmares'. The bottle then shattered in Ai's hands, with the glass fragments disappearing into the air.

The air stilled.

For a second, Ai was simply staying afloat. The feeling in the atmosphere had changed, she could feel it. And then, abruptly, gravity yanked Ai down, pulling her down at a rapid speed. Caught off guard from the plunge, a scream fell from her lips. Through her watering eyes, Ai saw that something approaching.

Light.

Her fall was ending. Against the whiteness, the black vines that lined the wall looked almost like hands… reaching out towards her. But surely, that was her imagination, right?

That was the thought that hovered in Ai's mind before the light swallowed her, followed by darkness.

* * *

 **And that's another chapter, I hope you enjoyed it...**

 **Until next week!**


	3. Wonderment- Part 1

**I'm not gonna let myself be disheartened... ;-;**

 **I'll keep on posting... whether or not this story gets recognised or not...**

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Mind's Wonderland  
Wonderment

"Oi~ Wakey, wakey! Hey, you're not dead, are you?"

It was a childish voice that drew Ai out of her unconsciousness. Her eyes slowly fluttered open, only to wince as harsh sunlight shone down. Ai gave a groan; her head was fuzzy and she felt disorientated. She could only grasp the sense that she was lying on her back.

"Oh, so you're not dead."

Suddenly the sunlight was blocked out by something and Ai found herself staring into a pair of wide, strawberry red pupils, filled with mirth. She gave a cry, bolting up. Ai wasn't used to people getting up close to her. Laughter bubbled up to Ai's ears as she turned to see who she has woken up to.

It was a girl. Her short, snow-white hair was braided into small plaits, in which the hood of a pink, sleeveless jumper covered. Floppy pieces of cloth, resembling rabbit ears, were stitched to the hood. And a gold pocket watch hung from a chain around her neck.

She was clutching her stomach as she laughed before smiling back at Ai, her red pupils never lost their shine. Ai felt as if she had seen those eyes somewhere before. A foggy memory of a rabbit running down dark hallways flickered in her mind.

"You're a funny Alice," giggled the girl.

' _Alice? As in Alice in Wonderland?'_

But before Ai could ask any questions, the girl leapt to her feet and dusted herself. "Now, that you're awake, I must be going," she announced bubbly, "It's snack time!"

"Snack time?"

The girl ran towards a cluster of nearby trees before stopping, giving Ai a wave. "See you around, Alice!" she called, "And welcome to Wonderland!"

Then she was gone.

A breeze blew, causing caramel brown hair to dance in its wake. This made Ai realise that her hair wasn't tied in its usual ponytail. "What?" Instead it was let down with half of it tied up with what felt like a large satin ribbon.

She instantly stood up to find her uniform was replaced as well. A Victorian high collar dress clothed her torso, stopping above her knees, and was finished off with lace and a thin, white ribbon sash. Her school shoes were replaced by leather knee-high boots with pearl buttons.

The dress, the shoes, the hair… wasn't Ai's usual wardrobe choice but she couldn't deny that she liked it.

Ai slowly cast her head up, sheltering her eyes with her hands, and there, she felt a sense of awe shiver up. Never had she seen a sky so blue before, with plump white clouds drifting by. Another breeze blew, filling the air with the colourful scent of wild flowers. Ai slowly did a 360 degree turn to fully take in her surroundings.

The tips of the long meadow grass turned golden, in the sunshine as clovers and lilies-of-the-valley sway in the breeze's trail. Trees gave a soft rustle as the breeze brushed past and sparrows hopped and chirped amongst their branches.

Another shiver of anticipation ran down Ai's spine as she recalled the words of the rabbit girl. "Am I really in Wonderland?"

* * *

"I'm sure she went this way…" Ai walked up a small hill, while constantly scanning the area. The hill gave her a higher vantage point. A thin snake of smoke, wafting up from the tree, some distance away, caught her eye. It wasn't thick enough for a forest fire, maybe it is a cooking fire. 'Does someone live nearby?'

Suddenly Ai spotted a flash of pink amongst the greenery. The girl! As quickly as she could, Ai ran into the forest, after her. "Excuse me!" Ai called. The air was cool under the shady foliage. Leaves crunched underneath her boots and grass brushed against her legs as Ai ran.

Up ahead of Ai, the rabbit girl was skipping before stopping at Ai's voice. She turned, cocking her head to the side. When she spotted Ai, her lips curled into a mischievous child's smile. Suddenly the rabbit girl broke into a run, at startling speed, with her arms stretched out, like what a child might do in a game of tag. She disappeared around a tree.

"Wait!" Ai cried. The girl's laughter danced in the cool air.

Ai pumped her legs faster, straining her ears for the girl's giggles to guide her. Then she spotted a wooden gate lodged in between high hedges. The rabbit girl was resting one arm on gate, before flashing Ai a smile. She then pushed the gate open and ran out of Ai's sight.

As Ai neared the gate, she hesitated. Is this someone's property? What if she was trespassing? Ai's ear pricked up at the sound of the familiar giggle. It was growing fainter. The only person that could answer her questions was disappearing fast! Ai quickly slipped in before hastily latching the gate behind her, then she broke into a jog.

She found herself running through a grassy pathway with tall hedges looming over, on either side of Ai. The laughter was growing louder. Then, the hedge walls stopped and Ai found herself stepping out into a neat garden.

The parallel hedge walls separate to embrace the garden edge. Thousands of roses bloomed near the edges. All in different colours; red, pink, yellow, orange, white and the unusual blue. Small butterflies flutter from flower to flower, adding to the scene of a secret garden.

A small cottage squatted in the middle of the large garden. More roses lined its polished white walls. There was at least one window on every wall, each obscured by white, cotton curtains. Clean, red tiles made the cottage's roof and Ai noticed the thin line of smoke trailing out from a chimney.

'So this is where the smoke was coming from,' she mused. Suddenly Ai jolted out of her thoughts and began to frantically look around. The rabbit girl had miraculously vanished. A wave of disappointment and exhaustion washed over Ai, until her nose caught a new scent wafting amongst the roses.

The scent of tea… and cakes.

"Snack time," whispered Ai, echoing the rabbit girl's words. Following her nose, Ai discovered a white marble pavilion tucked away in the far corner of the garden. Underneath it, a white table and chairs were set up. A teapot, cups and saucers adorned the table's surface, and pristinely cut cakes sat on plates.

Ai looked around expectantly yet the rabbit girl didn't emerge from anywhere in the garden. The smell of roses and tea swirled around Ai, almost hypnotically. When was the last time she ate? Lunchtime? Breakfast? What time was it now?

Slowly, Ai took a step forward. The smell had aroused the deaden hunger in her stomach and her legs yearned for a short rest. Surely, no one would mind if she sat down for a bit? As for the cakes… Maybe the rabbit girl would appear soon and invite her to join in.

But as minutes ticked by, Ai decided to settle down onto one of the chairs. The teacups were already filled with golden brown tea and, from the touch of the cup's warm porcelain surface, it was freshly poured.

Unable to help it, Ai carefully lowered her head above the teacup to inhale more of the sweet scent. The tea surface of the adjacent cup suddenly rippled, an action that didn't go unnoticed by Ai. She quickly straightened up. Something had disturbed it but what?

Suddenly a sensation shivered its way up Ai's spine; the sensation that she wasn't alone anymore. Someone was watching her. Ai slowly scanned her surroundings. The garden was empty except for sparrows hopping across the lawn and the odd butterfly fluttering past.

There was a rustle from above, and she craned her neck to look up at the foliage of a tree overhead. Sunlight peeped out from the gaps between the leaves, causing her to squint a little. No, nothing.

"You're late."

Ai squealed at the sudden voice from behind, before whipping around. A woman stood over Ai. She was… beautiful. Her oval face was framed by chestnut brown hair, which tumbled past her slender shoulders. A silk red rose with pearl strings was pinned in her locks. Thick lashes lined maroon pupils. Her mature body was cladded in a red and beige dress, with a rose at the bodice.

The woman fixed her eyes on Ai, who was still rendered speechless. "Do you know is it rude to keep a Duchess waiting?" she sniffed.

"I-I beg your pardon?"

The Duchess gave an exasperated sigh, bringing Ai's attention to the bundle of cloth she cradled in her arms. "Here," said the Duchess, shoving the cloth bundle towards Ai, "Take care of him while I'm gone."

A baby boy stared up at Ai with big eyes.

….?!

"Wait!" Ai cried, scrambling to her feet, "I-I can't look after him!"

The Duchess was already slipping on lace gloves before snapping open an oriental fan, and fluttering it in front of her face. "Well, learn quickly Alice," she replied shortly. Then she swept across the garden and disappeared around the corner of the house.

Ai stood there dumbfound, cradling the bundle of cloth in her arms.

* * *

Did they truly expect her to look after a baby? Young children tend to require a lot of patience and tolerance, not that Ai lack those attributes however she was rather uncomfortable with the situation she was placed in. Someone had left her the responsibility of looking after children, without her say… once again.

Biting her lips, Ai glanced down at the bundle in arms, only to find the bundle was empty.

…!

 _Where did he go?!_

She frantically looked around and caught sight of the baby crawling towards the opening of a hedged walkway, like the one she had stepped out from earlier. "Wait!" Ai cried, but the baby had already disappeared from her view. She quickly ran after it, darting into the walkway.

It surprised Ai how quickly the baby moved on hands and knees, for as she followed the path lined with tall hedges, she hadn't caught up to the infant yet. Only when Ai burst out from the hedges, did she find the child sitting in the middle of a dirt path, staring up at the tree foliage, gurgling to himself.

Ai panted lightly before walking over and scooping him back in her arms. "Hey," she puffed, "you shouldn't run off like that on your own." The baby only responded with a shrill laugh and Ai felt her lips tug into a small smile.

Suddenly a strong breeze swept through, causing trees to rustle loudly and shadows to dance. That was when Ai felt the strong sensation that something, or some _one_ , was watching her.

She slowly lifted her eyes up to the overhead branches, squinting in the sunlight. Piercing indigo eyes stared back.

Wait.

Ai blinked a couple of times before returning her gaze upward but there the ominous eyes had disappeared. It had to be her imagination running wild, yet Ai couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that was creeping up on her. She held the baby closer to her chest. He was playing with his chubby hands and babbling to himself, oblivious that Ai's heart rate had increased.

She slowly began to trudge back to the walkway, casting wary glances at every tiny movement from the bushes. She then glanced right, catching sight of a figure from the corner of her eye, who was standing at the end of the path, behind her.

Ai whipped around, prepared to confront the person, but there was no one there. _Now_ , she was panicking. Ai turned back, prepared to run for the walkway when-

 _THUMP!_

She ran into something that was tall and firm. Something tall, firm, and _warm_. When Ai looked up, she felt her blood freeze.

A pair of piercing indigo eyes bore down on her.

* * *

 ***sob***

 **I will keep writing no matter what... waaaaah...**

 **No matter what...**

 **Please, if you have read this far... leave a review, favourite or follow...**

 **Storm Skyress out...**


	4. Wonderment- Part 2

Mind's Wonderland  
Wonderment- part 2

A pair of piercing indigo eyes bore down on her.

They belonged to a tall young man, whose hair was the same colour as black coffee. He was fully clothed in black; he wore a black trench coat fastened with many belts, dark pants, and black leather combat boots. What made him appear more ominous was the large pair of triangular ears, protruding from his skull.

Slowly but steady, the corners of his lips tugged upwards, but it was not a smile that graced his handsome face, but a sinister smirk.

"Well, well, well," his voice was smooth and dark like chocolate, "Hello there, _Alice_."

Ai shivered. Unlike how the rabbit girl chirped the 'word', this man said it with an undertone. No words came out from her throat and she found herself hugging the bundle of cloth, more tightly.

His smirk grew wider, "What a common reaction," he sneered, "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?"

"Aah…," the first sound that escaped her lips came out as a strained noise, yet Ai forced the words to come out, "A-Absolutely not!" She cringed out how her voice croaked. "W-What are you trying to do?! You could of frighten the baby!"

The man's gaze dropped down to her arms before a dry laugh cracked through his smirk. "Don't make me laugh! _That's_ no baby."

"Huh…?" Confused, Ai looked down to the bundle. A grey downy head with a black beak stared back at her.

 _Peep!_

Ai's jaw dropped as she stared at the little cygnet, a baby swan, peeped happily in the cloth she cradled. _What? How?_

"How could you think that _foul_ thing was a baby?"

She instantly snapped her head back up to the man and gave him her best glare. "What did you just call it?" she growled. How dare he call this adorable chick _foul_?

He pulled his head back a little and raised his eyebrows, the smirk never disappearing. "Even if you try to glare at me, you still look cute," the man remarked, "Yet only _just_ a little cuter than that." He nodded at the cygnet.

A vein popped in Ai's head. She'd never held many conversations with any fellow male students, and this guy made her resolute to keep away from the opposite gender even more. But before Ai could come up with a smarter remark, the little chick jumped out of her arms and landed nimbly on the ground. It ruffled its downy body before wandering around their feet, peeping softly.

Both Ai and the man watched the cygnet waddled a metre or two away, basking in a patch of sunlight before flapping its tiny wings. A smile tugged on Ai's lips but what happened took her by surprise. Underneath the peeking rays, the cygnet's body glowed. Its wings and body grew larger, and its neck stretched out gracefully.

After a burst of light, what stood in the cygnet's place was a fully grown, white swan. Ai gasped in awe, and even the man had a look of surprise on his face. The swan gave a honk and flapped its wings again, as if testing them before taking off into the air and circling around the two.

Laughter spilled from Ai's mouth. She couldn't explain it, but it was as if she shared the bird's joy of freedom. She ran forward and stretched out her arms as the swan circled in towards her. When was the last time she had laughed like this?

Suddenly, something flew past Ai's ear and struck the swan at its wing. Ai's smile froze. The swan gave a painful screech as it fell, with a long, thin, throwing pin protruding from amongst its feathers.

Finally, Ai's legs moved, and she rushed out to the falling bird. However, before it could hit the ground, its feather started to ripple black from where the pin lay embedded. Soon the entire swan was engulfed in black feathers and a large raven emerged out with a mournful craw.

The raven then took flight, circled before flying past Ai. She followed it with her eyes before turning back behind her, just to see the black bird perch on the outstretched arm of the man.

Ai's eyes narrowed. "What did you do to the swan?" she demanded. A small flame flickered inside her. This man had just ended the swan's freedom before it had even begun.

He cocked his head to the side, a sneer playing at his lips. "I've done nothing to it," he replied.

Ai clenched her hand into a tight fist. "You just injured a bird and… and…," she clenched her teeth together to stop her fumbling with words.

The man stroked the raven under its neck and gave a hum, "There's no injury to this bird. Can't you see?"

"That doesn't excuse you from harming a living creature-"

His smirk grew wider, "Who said this was a living animal?"

"Huh…?" All the heated air escaped Ai and a sense of confusion replaced it. "W-What are you saying? How is that not living?"

Running a single finger along the raven's head, the man spoke up, "To put it simply, this is how Wonderland works. My dear Alice, you still have much to learn. Wonderland takes one's imagination and enhances it to a realistic level. The way you view Wonderland will portray how it will become."

He glanced up at Ai's confused expression. "With that said, I think I've said too much," the smirk returned once more, "Let's see what you're capable of, _Alice._ "

Before Ai could comprehend his vague explanation, the raven had flown off the man's hand and began to attack her. Caught off guard, Ai screamed and stumbled backwards as she tried to swat at away the flurry of feathers and claws.

Suddenly she tripped and as Ai fell backwards, she felt something heavy swing down in front of her.

 _THUD!_

Ai had landed clumsily on her bottom, but it wasn't the appearance of her ungraceful fall that concerned her. Her eyes were fixated on the blade of a sword, that was buried deep into the soft soil, where she had just stood a couple of seconds ago.

She watched as the sword was pulled from the earth and her eyes travelled upward to its wielder. His eyes seemed to glow under the dancing shade of the trees, as a strong breeze blew past. Ai could hear her heart pounding again.

 _This man… This man can kill me!_

He swung his blade in a playful circle. "I'm afraid you got lucky on that one," he gave a smug smile, "But I won't rely solely on luck if I were you."

A gasp caught Ai's throat and she felt a cold sweat creeping on her skin.

 _Get away! Get away NOW!_

She scrambled to her feet and made a run for the nearest cover of trees. Ai glanced behind her, checking whether he would give a chase or not.

A big mistake.

Her instincts screamed at her to stop and just as Ai came to a halt, the air was cut just a couple of centimetres away from her face. Ai watched as strands of her caramel hair drifted to the ground. She fixed her gaze back to the man who now stood in front of her, blocking her escape.

He clicked his tongue, like a disappointed tutor. "Do you have no shame, Alice?" he sighed before giving her another twisted grin, "Running away doesn't always solve your problems, you know."

Her eyes darted back and forth from the sword in his hand to his piercing eyes, as he slowly approached her, to which she backed away. Again, Ai turned away from him and bolted for the trees on the other side. She need to get away. She need to get away from him!

He gave a chuckle, "No matter how fast you run or how far, you cannot escape from me, Alice." Ai kept running, paying no heed to his words. She focused straight ahead to the trees. "Don't even try to hide," he laughed, "For I _always_ know where you are."

And just like magic, he intervened her escape route again.

Ai panted lightly, trying to provide oxygen to her racing heart. "Please…," she whimpered, stepping away from him, "Leave me alone…"

"Aah…" The man shook his head and gave a disappointed sigh, "And here I thought you weren't such a coward like the rest them."

"I have no idea what you're talking about!"

The man took a step closer, his shadow almost menacingly casted over her. "Then, I hope you are prepared." His eyes appeared as if they were glowing once more. "For if I do not seal your fate, _they_ will."

Ai took a step back, only to trip over an undergrown tree root. She yelped before looking back up. Her eyes locked on the sword, which was lifted above his head.

"Farewell, Ai Takamiya."

The sword swung down on her frozen body.


	5. Following

**Okay... I hope this is more different to the old chapters I've posted a long time ago...**

 ***sob***

* * *

Mind's Wonderland  
Following

Sunlight flooded into a room, giving it a dreamlike glow. Dust particles appeared like motes of light in the sunshine. A golden waterdrop fell from the faucet of a tap. Colourful vegetable slices sprawled across a chopping board.

A picture frame stood at the edge of a table. The photo inside was obscured by the reflecting light.

Crayons littered the table's wooden surface along with drawings of a child.

Then there was a blurry figure, silhouetted by the sunlight.

"A-chan, lunch is ready."

The watery voice was enough to snap her out.

* * *

The sound of metal clashing against something hard resonated, and the trees rustled loudly from a large disturbance.

There a _thump_ and a _clang_.

Ai slowly opened her eyes, which had been squeezed together the moment she saw the blade come down. The man was now a couple of metres back, and he was slowly rising to his feet, almost as if something had knocked him back. His sword was nearby, lying on soil.

' _What?'_

He slowly extended his hand and the sword dispersed, only to reform in his grip. "You've surprised me. Perhaps I've underestimated you." His expression was a mixture of mild shock and a hint of annoyance.

Ai chose this moment to get to her feet.

The man showed slight hesitation, "You seem rather unique and interesting." It was as if he was choosing his words carefully. "Perhaps you could survive in a world like this," he paused, "But be warned, in a land of wonder, without purpose, the mind can easily be lead to dark places."

"Huh?"

The sword then emits a dark aura as the man slowly walked towards her. Ai's voice caught her throat at his approach. The dark aura slowly trailed up his arm, that held his blade. He gave final smirk before rising the sword once more.

Ai flinched at the action, instinctively closing her eyes, and bracing herself. Upon feeling no impact, she opened her eyes to find the man gone. A light breeze carried his voice.

"If you seek sanctuary, I suggest sticking to the path ahead of you."

Beyond her, where he last stood, trees had parted to reveal a path. It was then Ai found herself alone once more, and wondering just who was he.

* * *

A yelp escaped her lips again when the rocky ground crumbled beneath her boots once more. Ai dusted her dress with a huff. At first, she was inclining to think the mysterious man was kind enough to point her the way to somewhere safe, and hopefully there would be people who could help her in this strange land. What Ai didn't consider was the _path_ she'd been directed to take.

The path was made of rocky soil with a few large, moss-covered, boulders acting as obstacles, some which Ai had to scramble over or squeeze in between. The biggest difficulty was that the path was unlevelled, sometimes breaking off into slopes.

Ai grumbled once more as she clambered over a small boulder. _I take back my inclination! He's not a nice guy!_ She could just picture it. He had purposely pointed this path to her, just for the amusement of her struggling through it. She wanted to wring the neck of his smirking face.

Suddenly something colourful caught Ai's eyes. A bubble, which had captured all the colours of the rainbow on its fragile surface, floated lazily in the air, under the foliage of the trees. Followed by another bubble.

And another.

And another.

Soon there was a trail of iridescent orbs floating in the air. Ai sat on top of the warm outcrop, watching with wide eyes. It was so… colourful. Almost surreal. Her eyes trailed down to where the bubbles were coming from. They were coming from somewhere off the path, somewhere further in the trees.

Ai hopped off the small boulder and, instead of continuing down the rugged path, she ventured into the trees. Her eyes trained on the trail of bubbles. The ground under her feet eventually grew even. Ai soon found herself in a small flower patch underneath the shady trees, a patch of coriander flowers.

Bubbles, of various sizes, filled the air. Some were so close to Ai's face that she saw her own reflection on its surface, and some other blurry images… or so she thought.

"Ah, what do we have here? A stray kitten or a lost puppy?"

A voice with an airy tone at the end, floated amongst the bubbles. There, lying on her stomach in a patch of coriander flowers, around fifteen centimetres long, was a girl.

Her long green hair was braided loosely into a long braid, with tiny flowers intertwined, and a long strand of hair fell carelessly on her face. Sharp violet eyes fluttered flirtatiously under thick lashes. Although small, the girl appeared to have a beauty that is fully bloomed.

It was clear that she knew of this beauty herself, for her attire allowed her perfection to be clearly viewed.

The girl's attire was simple, yet it enhances her beauty. It was almost a mix between a goddesses' garments and lingerie. Her shoulders were exposed, and her chest was covered by cloth, having a fashionable string tied around the neck to hold it in place. A long skirt was tied to her waist by a rope, concealing the front and back yet leaving her hips exposed. On her feet are delicate slippers with ribbons lacing up her idealistic legs.

What sets her beauty on a more surreal level, was the pair of butterfly wings sprouting from her bare back.

She raised her eyebrow at the sight of Ai. The girl sat up, supporting herself with one arm while she held a kiseru, a long Eastern pipe, in her other hand.

"Why, it's a girl," she muttered then her eyes widened when she saw the ribbon peeking out from behind Ai's head, "Alice…?"

Ai blinked, confused. Again, that name that everyone seems to call her. _Could this girl help me?_ "Um…"

The girl gracefully crossed her legs and blew some bubbles from her kiseru. "Yes? What can I do for you?" She titled her head to the side with a small smile playing on her lips.

Ai opened her mouth, yet she couldn't utter anything. Even though, Ai had read many books through her time and developed a rather broad vocab, she always found it difficult to say the things on her mind due to her quiet nature.

The rabbit girl had playfully run off before Ai could say anything while the mysterious man bombarded her with confusing words, rendering her speechless. But here, this girl was merely waiting for Ai to say anything, patiently.

"W…who are you?" Those were the only words Ai could utter.

The girl blinked before bursting out into giggles, which sounded like a bell chiming. She turned the smoking pipe in her hand, "Who am I?" she repeated the question to herself as she blew more bubbles, "Who am I... Why I don't even know," she answered with a smile.

Ai stared at her dumbfound. "B-but surely…"

"I'm referred as the Butterfly," the girl replied, "So you can call me that, Alice. Now, what brings you here?"

 _The Butterfly…_

Of course, Ai should have guessed the obvious as she glanced at the delicate wings on the Butterfly's back. "I'm a little bit lost… in this place," Ai coyly scratched her cheek, "So I was wondering if you could help me. Maybe with some directions?"

"Directions, huh?" More bubbles drifted into the air from the Butterfly's kiseru. "Well, if you go straight ahead, you'll find a road that'll take you to somewhere," she pointed with her pipe, "I guess, finding your way is difficult unless you have an idea where you want to go in Wonderland."

"Wonderland…?" Ai echoed, "Is this place really Wonderland?"

A bubble drifted particularly close to the Butterfly before landing on the kiseru's bowl, with its surface trembling. The Butterfly gave a secret smile as she gazed at the shivering orb.

"Call it what you may. If this is a place of insanity, you can call it Mad Land. If it resembles the underworld, then Under Land. But if it resembles a place of wonder…," she trialled off before giving a soft hum and brought her lips to the mouthpiece. The bubble trembled more…

 _POP!_

Suddenly, all the bubbles dispersed all at once along with the patch of coriander flowers, and the Butterfly herself. Her secretive smile was the last thing Ai saw.

* * *

Leather shoes tapped loudly as they crossed a black and white, tiled floor. The tails of a red coat flapped behind before pooling to the chequered floor as its wearer kneeled. A man bowed his head.

"You called?"

A plump rosy cheek rested on white gloves. "Have you heard the news?" asked a small dainty voice.

There was a pause before the man answered, "Yes."

"Then please arrange the twins to collect her, promptly." Small red clogs hovered above the ground. "I want to erase any roots of trouble before it spreads."

The man nodded once more, "Right away, your Highness."

* * *

Following the Butterfly's directions, Ai stepped out to a wide, straight path with a river running alongside it. She felt her heart swell at the refreshing sight as she started down the path.

Sunlight sparkled on the river's surface as water trickled past, through long reeds. Dragonflies danced in between the green blades, occasionally hovering over the moving water.

The path was much easier to walk on.

Ai strolled along the path, dancing through the speckling sunlight as she darted through the shade of the trees. Her dress spun with her. When was the last time she had frolicked through such beautiful scenery? Blurry recollections of a sunflower field came and went from her mind.

All the past occurrences with the horrid man vanished. These landscapes were such a contrast to the suffocating, ominous monochrome skyline back…

Ai paused before looking around, startled.

The river still ran, and the path still stretched further on but… what was she doing here? How long had she wondered? Was she looking for something? Someone?

Slowly, Ai glanced behind her before casting a look ahead. The scenery from front and behind looked almost identical. What was she looking for? Was she looking for something at the start?

Suddenly, the sickening feeling of panic mixed with confusion, threatened to rise from her gut. Ai clenched her stomach, her body coiling over. The sound of sobbing ringing in her head.

All was broken by a sound… the sound of a cheery melody, floating on the breeze.

The music cleared the ringing in Ai's head as her mind atoned to the melody, and she slowly straightened up. It was coming from across the river and conveniently, there were stepping stones jaunting out of the water, nearby.

Could the melody lead her to safety? After hesitantly approaching the river, Ai gingerly hopped across the flat stones and wondered into the thicket on the other side. As if the music was air she needed, Ai stumbled through the undergrowth.

The melody grew louder and louder until she stepped out into a clearing.

Entangled streamers hung from the branches of the trees that lined the clearing, and colourful confetti sprinkled the grass. A long table, covered in a white tablecloth sat in the middle of the grassy area, with an array of different chairs lined at its side.

The melody was emitted by a gramophone, which sat on a pedestal, its crank turning by an invisible hand. It too had streamers dangling from it.

Ai gasped at the sight of the strange, colourful scenery. She slowly approached the table, to notice a large, dark green, top hat sitting at the head of the table. Ai slowly approached the headwear before flinching back when it started jumping, up and down.

Suddenly, a man popped out from underneath, earning a yelp from Ai, having the hat fitted snuggly on his messy hair as he stood on the table.

His hair was sunset orange, yet his eyes were pixie green, matching the long coat he wore. His clothes looked as if they've never met an iron, and his tie was crooked. If Ai squinted closely, she could see his socks didn't match either.

"My, my!" he sang, "We have guest! Bring in entertainment at my request!"

More confetti exploded into the air and suddenly a familiar pink cladded figure popped up from one of the chairs. It was the rabbit girl, who held a fork and knife in the air. The speed of the music suddenly picked up as the crank of the gramophone turned faster.

The man swept his hat off as a grand gesture and a little grey mouse hopped out of it, running down the full length of the table. Cakes of different size and shape followed the mouse, with plates, cups and saucers hopping after. The man leapt down from the table, landing in front of Ai, and returned his hat to his head.

Ai, who was covered in confetti, was too gobsmacked to speak.

"Weeeelcome my dear Alice!" sang the man as swept into a bow. Ai snapped out of her daze as the man kissed her knuckles. "Hatter at your service," he finished off with a smile.

"H-Hatter? As in the Mad Hatter?"

The Hatter laughed as he led Ai to a chair before plopping down at his own chair, at the head of the table. "Am I mad? I do not feel angry. Let us begin the tea party!" he declared.

The rabbit girl gave a hearty cheer and eagerly began stuffing herself with a large slice of strawberry short cake. The mouse ran along the table, balancing a saucer on its head and carefully picking out its choices.

Ai gaped at the food which decorated the long table. There wasn't just cakes but plates of biscuits, fruits, quiches, pies, and three level tiers, which held scones and small sandwiches. The small setup at the Duchess's pavilion seemed pale against this feast.

"Eat up, my dear! Eat up!" chided the Hatter, "Don't be shy!" Ai thanked him and politely served herself, trying her best not to ravenously pile food onto her plate before discreetly digging in.

The Hatter laughed at her discretion. "There's no need to be polite!" he chortled, "Dig in!"

Ai flushed as the rabbit girl laughed along. The little grey mouse settled comfortably between her and the Hatter, contently nibbling on biscuits.

"I must be honest," the Hatter spoke gently, "You had us worried for a bit. Isn't that right, Pink Rabbit?"

"Huh?" Ai looked up from her plate.

"Yes," piped the rabbit girl, her mouth smeared with cream, "You took your sweet time on getting here."

"I… don't understand."

The Hatter took a sip from his cup as a teapot hovered above Ai's cup and filled it. "My friend told me you would be arriving shortly after he passed his message to me," the Hatter explained, "Did you stray off the path, my dear?"

Ai sucked in a breath. The monstrous man was a 'friend' of his?! "I-I found the path a little difficult to walk on and… got side-track with something." She took a sip from her cup to hide her embarrassment. It tasted delicious and sweet.

"Ah," the Hatter smiled knowingly, "You chose a different path, didn't you?"

Ai chose to swallow instead of answering. "I-Is there something wrong with straying off?" she nervously asked.

"To stray off a path is a dangerous action."

Ai jumped at the new voice as all heads turned to see a young man stroll in the meadow.

His long hair was a raven's wing. A black ribbon held his hair in a low ponytail while brown rabbit ears stood tall from his head. His silver trimmed, navy blue tailcoat and composure gave him an air of solemness despite the lagomorph ears.

"The path to salvation is not necessarily the easy one. Those who persevere are the ones who find what they're looking for," he stopped at the seat beside the Pink Rabbit, "Those who run from trials, don't. Instead they face destruction." Ai choked on a gasp as the man fully faced her.

His eyes, or should she say eye, was an ocean; a constant change of blue. However, it wasn't the shifting blue depths of his pupil, peering from behind a pair of glasses, that surprised Ai but rather, the black eyepatch which covered the entire section of his right eye.

"Marchie!" the Pink Rabbit gleefully leapt from her chair, throwing her arms around the man.

The Hatter raised his cup towards the young man with a smile. "So, you've finally decided to join us," he smiled, "I thought you wouldn't be coming." He pulled out a pocket watch from his coat, "I have to say you're rather late, March Hare. Or should I say 'Marchie'?"

Ai didn't dare to point out that the Hatter's pocket watch needed extensive repair; some springs was protruding out and she could catch glimpses of cogs underneath the cracked clock's face.

The March Hare's eye turned stormy, at the mention of the nickname, but they immediately softened when he turned to pry the Pink Rabbit off, so he could sit.

"I must admit that I do not know what you're talking about," the March Hare sniffed as he pulled out his own intact watch, "I am not late nor early but rather, on time."

The Hatter gave a hum, unfazed by the March's glare, took a sip from his cup. "My apologises, I should have known better than to accuse you of lateness," he smiled before gesturing his cup towards Ai, "I forgot to introduce you. Alice, this is the March Hare. March, this is our dear Alice."

Ai froze as the March Hare came to face her again. His eye was an ocean under grey skies; critical and analysing.

"N-Nice to meet you. M-my name is- AAH!"

She was interrupted by the mouse, who had decided to snatch her half-finished plate and darted off to the end of the table.

"Dormouse!" cried the Hatter, standing up from his chair, "Return Alice's food this instant!"

"Run~!" squealed the Pink Rabbit gleefully.

A great commotion arose at the table yet the March Hare remained calm and, almost oblivious at the flying crockery and shouts. Discreetly, the March's lagomorph ears slowly straightened. All finally quietened when the March stood up to gaze at towards the trees.

Hatter quickly straightened his coat. "Do we have some more guests?" he smiled.

"I have an inkling they won't be joining us as 'guests'", the March Hare replied.

Suddenly two children; a boy and a girl, burst out from the undergrowth of the forest, cheering when they saw the March Hare standing expectantly.

"We found him!" they shouted.

The boy and the girl looked identical, from their silver-grey hair and shining eyes, to their clothes of matching blue capes, dark shorts, and black boots. Yet when examining closely, one could catch the differences that set the two apart. The boy's eyes were silver blue while the girl's eyes were a silver purple. Both were smiling, but the girl's smile was more radiant while the boy held a small, reserved smile.

 _Twins…?_

"Teacher! Teacher!" they bubbled as the two crowded around the March Hare.

The Hatter laughed, "What lovely students of yours, March."

"So cute," cooed the Pink Rabbit.

However, the March Hare paid no heed to the two. He fixed to the boy and girl with a solemn stare. "What did she call you two for?" he asked.

"Tweedledee!" piped the girl.

"Tweedledum!" responded the boy.

"Reporting!" they both chorused.

Tweedledee stepped forward. "We've been given the task to seek Alice and take her to the castle," she saluted.

"Here is the written report," Tweedledum spoke softly before producing a parchment from his pouch. Ai noticed both carried what looked like a large candle stick in their bags.

After scanning the contents, the brows of the March Hare furrowed before he looked up and turned to Ai. This led the twins to follow his gaze, both staring at her with their big eyes.

"Alice!" they cried and the next minute, the twins were standing beside Ai at both sides. Then, Ai was yanked out of her chair and was being pulled across the meadow.

"W-wait!" she cried, "Where are you taking me?!"

"You'll see," chimed Tweedledee.

"Need to hurry," Tweedledum murmured.

Ai looked back at the Hatter with a pleading look, but he wore a stoic expression, with the March Hare watching on.

"Do they not want to stay for refreshments?" the Hatter asked quietly.

"No," replied March, "Apparently it's urgent."

"I see…"

The colourful meadow disappeared behind the branches of the forest, the last glimpses of it was of the Pink Rabbit cheerfully waving, calling out "Stay alive, Alice!"

* * *

 **Was that too long of a chapter...?**

 **Please leave your thoughts... pretty please?**


	6. Heart Strings- Part 1

**To Gandalf15 *grabs your hands and gives you a vigorous handshake* thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou sosososososososososososo muccccccccccccccccccccccccch for your reviews!**

 **Do you want a cookie? Cake? A kitty? Or puppy? How about Wonka's golden ticket?**

 **But thank you so very much for reviewing! LET'S CELEBRATE!**

 **Here's the chapter OwO**

* * *

Mind's Wonderland

Heart Strings

"W-wait. Can we maybe stop for a bit…? S-Stop tugging!"

Ai wrenched her arms out from the twins' strong grasp. They stared at her with innocent confusion. The three of them was on a forest path, supposedly on their way to see someone, as the twins put it, 'she'.

"What's wrong, Alice?" asked the female twin, Tweedledee. Her sweet, round face complimented with sparkling, silver-purple eyes almost melted Ai's heart.

"We need to hurry," the male twin, Tweedledum, muttered, "She doesn't like people who are late." His silver-blue eyes, would glanced at Ai occasionally before darting away. He came off as a shy little boy to Ai.

"Firstly," Ai huffed, "where are you two taking me?"

"Somewhere!" Tweedledee grinned, "You'll see when we get there!"

"It's important. We need to hurry", Tweedledum urged once more as he tentatively tugged on Ai's dress, to further the point.

Ai grimaced. Something important? And they cannot be late? She looked down at the two children, who were gently tugging on her sleeves and dress, waiting for her to budge. If she didn't turn up at this important meeting, would the twins be to blame? Would they be punished? She caved under her conscience.

"Okay," she sighed, "Lead the way, you two."

The trio resumed walking, with Ai being led by the sleeves. The walk wasn't quiet, in fact it was rather… 'chatty' with the twins doing most of the talking. They talked, sometimes including Ai in the conversation but mainly, the topic was about the March Hare.

"The March is the best! Did you know that?"

"He's a really good teacher."

"Yeah! He teaches us everything!"

"Like maths equations, history, economics…"

"And that je-o-gram-fee!"

"Geography."

"Yeah, that! And don't forget, he teaches us how to fight!"

"How to fight?" Ai repeated in shock.

"Mhm," they both replied with their eyes sparkling with faraway admiration. Ai didn't interrupt their passionate rambling, this time on favouritism, however her mind still pondered on what the twins had mentioned. Did they really learn how to do combat? True, it is beneficial in many ways when learning self-defence but surely, they're too young!

"Alice~!"

"We're here now."

The trees thinned out as the trio stepped out from the forest and Ai let out an awed gasp. A grand stone wall stood erected, about half a kilometre away, with a tall gateway in it. The twins led Ai closer, to which she noticed large banners hanging on each side of the gateway. A golden heart emblem was embroiled into the deep red fabric.

Ai suddenly choked on realisation as she stepped through the gateway. "Is this-"

"Welcome to the Kingdom of Hearts, Alice!" the twins declared.

People were hustling and bustling, all laughing and chattering away, with the clicks of their shoes, on the stone tiled path, adding to the buzz. Tall, black streetlamps were adorned with red flowers, and the same banner. Colourful and elaborate buildings with fancy, calligraphic signs, lined the wide path.

That was all Ai could process before she felt a firm tug on her sleeves.

"We can't dawdle Alice!" pouted Tweedledee.

"We're running out of time," Tweedledum added firmly.

And then before she could protest, the twins had whisked her along the main road, at terrific speed. Ai's mind blanked out at the force of the strength in their tugs. 'Was this a part of their combat training?' Ai thought dizzily. She was only aware that they had passed through two more gateways, imbedded in similar stone walls as that of the one they first encountered.

When the twins finally slowed down in their pace, Ai found herself standing in front of a large pair of doors. She slowly looked up. Tall spires gleamed in the sunlight against the blue sky, like a king's crown. Red flags, trimmed with gold, rippled in the wind.

Ai looked back to the door in front of her. It was made of rosewood with golden, metal clasps adorning its wooden surface, in the same recurring motif.

A heart.

It was then, the cogs of Ai's mind started turning.

A heart.

A castle.

The person she's going to meet was… It hit her, like ton of bricks.

The Queen of Hearts.

A nervous sweat had started to break out as Ai slowly edged away from the ominous door. 'Didn't the Queen of Hearts try to execute Alice?' she thought. If she was truly 'Alice' coming to meet the Queen, that could only mean…

Ai froze when she felt two tight grips on her wrists.

"Alice, where are you going?" the two innocently asked. Ai looked down dumbfound at the twins. Were they even aware they were leading her possibly to a death ending? But before she could find any words to say, the door opened with a ghastly groan.

"Ah, you have arrived promptly. You two, never cease to amaze me-"

A young man stood in the doorway. He wore a deep red, military tailcoat with gold trimmings. His platinum blonde hair seemed to drink in the sunlight around them. The strands that fell carelessly in his face, looked as if they've turned golden white at the tips. His eyes were pools of molten gold, firm yet warm but now, they slowly widened once they laid sight on Ai.

Ai inhaled sharply and suddenly she became very aware that the blood had rushed to her face.

He was… handsome. Very handsome.

Usually, Ai won't have taken notice of any males of her cohort, yet this guy looked around her age and there was something striking about him. No one has ever looked at Ai the way he is right now. His gaze was of pleasant surprise, a little bewildered but most of all, flattering.

No one had ever turned their head at her, let alone look at her in that matter.

How long had they been staring at one another? For, both the man and Ai had suddenly become increasingly aware at the confused expressions the twins were shooting at them, which shook them out of their 'trace'.

The man quickly cleared his throat, nervously adjusting the frilled cravat at his neck. "You must be Alice," he smiled. And a gorgeous smile, at that. "The Queen is waiting for you. This way please." He stepped aside, gesturing them in with his arm.

The twins raced in ahead, giggling gleefully. Ai felt herself become even more self-conscious as she shyly walked past the man, the intensity of his gaze deepening.

Ai heard the door creak and thump to a close, and once again, she felt a sense of overwhelm wash over her. They stood in a grand lobby with high ceilings. The same red banners hung in multitudes from the ceilings, along with an elaborate chandelier, shimmering welcomingly to the group.

The twins had disappeared down a long hallway, their laughter echoing off the walls. Suddenly Ai heard the _tap tap_ of leather shoes from behind her. Before she could turn around, she heard his voice next to her.

"Please follow me, Alice."

Hesitantly, she looked up. He was smiling down at her with a warm smile, and she felt her face burn red. This time, her heart played along, thumping loudly in her chest. Ai could only muster a small nod, as she followed his lead down the hallway. Their heels clicked in time against the marble floor.

"I'm the Knave of Hearts," he spoke while fidgeting his cravat, "I apologise for not introducing myself sooner." The Knave shot her a nervous glance.

Ai shook her head, "It's all right," she replied, wincing slightly at the hitch in her voice, "I-I'm…"

However, once again, she was interrupted. "We've all heard about your arrival," spoke the Knave, "It's been a while since the last time an Alice has come. How do you find Wonderland so far?"

Questions started to bubble up from her throat, but Ai forced herself to swallow them down. "Wonderland is beautiful. I haven't seen much, but everything so far is so colourful and everyone here has been so nice…" She thrusted away the memories of the mysterious man before looking up at the Knave, giving him a coy smile.

The Knave's eyes widened once more at the sight of her radiant smile. Something inside his heart stirred and he had to quickly look back ahead of himself. He found himself fiddling with his cravat again. Embarrassed, he dropped his hand back to his side. "I'm glad to hear of that," he replied.

What had this Alice done to make him feel so nervous? Was it how her eyes sparkle, like amethysts, with curiosity? Or was it how her beautiful brown hair turn gold whenever sunlight kiss her head? Yes, but there was something else…

They stopped at a pearl white door, encrusted with golden vines, which formed heart shapes. Ai drew a small breath. Despite the bright colours of it, there was an imposing aura radiating from this door.

The Knave placed his hand on the door handle and turned to her, with a small smile. "Here we are. Are you ready?" he asked.

What else could she say? Ai nodded dumbly as the Knave pushed the handle down and pushed the door open. They stepped into a large brightly lit room. The afternoon light came from the large French windows which lined the east side of the room.

Ai immediately noticed the different appearance to the ground. The marble flooring had changed into chequered tiles, reminding her of a chess board.

The Knave led her to the middle of the room, before breaking away and, with measured steps, walked up the stairs of a small elevated platform. Heavy, red curtains were draped around a majestic throne.

"Your Majesty, I present you, Alice," the Knave of Hearts announced. Ai could only stare at the figure which sat on the throne.

A small girl sat upon the throne, resting her chin on her gloved hand in a bored manner. Milky white curls cupped her round almost child-like face. She was donned in a dress made of layered fabrics, decorated with red ribbons and white lace. This is the Queen of Hearts? She looks like a porcelain doll!

Yet when the amber pools of the Queen's eyes settled on Ai, all thoughts of the little girl being fragile vanished.

Ai hobbled into a quick bow as the Queen swept her gaze over her, taking in every detail. However, Ai's little confidence crumbled as she saw the Queen's expression of disdain.

"Is that really Alice?" sniffed the Queen. She was addressing the Knave.

"Yes, your Majesty. This is Alice," he replied, straightening a little taller as if he was proud to present Ai to the little girl. Ai felt a small blush creeping on and a smile tugging on her lips.

"She's pitiful," the Queen yawned, "Get her out of my sight." She gave a dismissal wave to further her point.

Ai felt as if someone had dumped a bucket of cold water on her. Pitiful? No one had associated that word with Ai. Not even herself.

"But you Majes-"

"Are you opposing me, Knave?" spoke the Queen in a soft but assertive tone. Despite her doll-like appearance, she held her chin high. This was a girl who was used to being in control, and obeyed.

Even the Knave looked lost for words. "But she has made it this far," he replied defensively. "Surely, we should give her a chance. Besides, how long was it since an Alice had entered Wonderland?"

' _An Alice?'_

The association of the pronoun with the name, once again, piqued Ai's curiosity.

 _Did that mean… there was more than one 'Alice'?_

"I don't care how long it has been. All I know is how much havoc the last one costed me." The Queen hummed in thought before her petite lips formed a smile. It was a smile that said 'okay, I'll play along but I know I'll win in the end.'

Ai swallowed.

"Very well Knave," cooed the Queen, "If you think so highly of Alice, why don't we test her ourselves?" She clicked her gloved fingers.

Suddenly red curtains fell over the tall French windows, blocking out the sunlight. A chandelier overhead, lit up, providing only dim lighting. The Queen then hopped down from her throne, taking slow steps forward. Her short height was further emphasised now that she was off the chair but her eyes glowed like flames, in the light.

"Alice," the Queen finally addressed her, "I challenge you to a game of wits, to see whether you are fit to belong in a world like this." She then gave a mocking smile. "If you win, then I will accept your presence in Wonderland and allow you to become a member of the Kingdom of Hearts. If not," she paused dramatically, "I will have to cut you from your roots."

"But your Majesty!" protested the Knave. The Queen held a hand up in to silent him.

"C-Cut me from my r-roots?" Ai repeated.

She nodded before giving a delicate smile and running a single finger across her neck. "It would be off with your head, Alice."

* * *

 **Aaaaaaand that's it, for now~!**

 **Thank you again, Gandalf15 and see you guys next time!**


	7. Heart Strings- Part 2

**Congratulation Gandalf15! You have won yourself a cocoa kitty and puppy with extra chocolate chips! Your reviews are the only thing that's driving me to continue posting this story TwT**

 **As a reward, here's an extra looooong chapter!**

Mind's Wonderland  
Heart Strings- Part 2

Ai felt her blood freeze. Was the Queen really intending to kill her? No, it shouldn't have come as a surprise since of the story. But still… Ai shook her head, trying to clear the muddle of thoughts. It's only a game of wits. Were they going to do riddles? Maybe puzzles?

She watched as the Queen slowly stepped down the perform stairs. As she slowly descended, she was delicately starting to pull her gloves off. Ai was puzzled. Are they going to be doing something practical?

Suddenly, the Queen discarded her glove on the floor before thrusting her hand out to Ai, with the palm facing her. Before Ai could even process the action, a great wave of blood red strings erupted from the Queen's small palm. The Knave shouted something inaudible for Ai's scream drowned his voice.

It was until, AI felt an impact on her back that the wave of red strings died away. She had been swept all the way to the back of the room, where the door was. Ai felt dazed. What just happened? How, in the world, was that girl capable of…? She recalled the words of the mysterious man. What did he say? Something about how Wonderland works?

Before Ai could clear her head, she felt a pull at her leg before crying out as she was dragged across the floor, by a red ribbon which had wrapped itself around her ankle. Ai tried to resist but her fingers found no fast holds on the smooth, chequered floor.

"Is that all you have to offer?" remarked the Queen, as Ai was pulled closer back to the platform. "You didn't even prepare yourself at all. What a dimwit of a girl."

Something inside Ai snapped. She was sick of being confused. She was sick of being talked down. "Y-You're the one who didn't mention an attack when playing the game!" Ai cried frustratingly, "That's playing dirty! Wearing a crown doesn't mean you're always right, chibi!"

There was an ugly pause.

"Oh, well then…," smiled the Queen.

Ai gasped as she felt herself lifted high into the air, by the ribbon at her ankle. She hastily grabbed the skirt of her dress, trying to keep it in place. She was lucky to have tights underneath it. Suddenly, the ribbon began to move, shaking her body as if it was a toy.

"Come on, Alice," the Queen called out, "Why don't you show us your grand powers?"

"Your Majesty-" began the Knave.

The Queen instantly shot him a sharp glance, "Do I have to remind you what happened when we were too easy with the previous Alice?"

The Knave paled before lowering his head in apology, with clenched teeth.

Ai felt sick. She was feeling dizzy and the blood rushing to her head did no help. Her limbs were aching too. "Let me go!" she shrieked, "I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"If you truly think you're worthy to be an Alice, then I suggest you do yourself a favour and free yourself on your own," sighed the Queen, "I'm getting tired of waiting."

"I told you, I don't understand what you mean!" Ai screamed, "Just let me go!"

The Queen blinked. "Very well," she said. The ribbon suddenly loosened around Ai's ankle.

It was only a split second too late when she realised her mistake. She didn't even register the fall. Her scream was knocked out of her before it left her lips as Ai landed heavily on her back. The impact left a painful ringing in both her ears and head, and unfocused sight. She tried to utter something but she couldn't even find her voice, only barely recognizing the muffled whine as her own.

Then there was a numbing, stinging sensation that slowly spread itself throughout Ai's body, and she felt herself slowly rise, yet not according to her will. Thin, red threads were imbedded at each joint of Ai's body and it was slowly pulling her up to her feet.

Each fibre line was linked to the Queen's hand as she watched Ai rise, with an exasperated expression. "Any last words, Alice?" she sighed.

The Queen's voice sounded far away to Ai, and the stinging pain was all she could think of.

"…"

"No?" replied the Queen with raised eyebrows, "And here you were so loud before… Well, we shall cut to the chase." She clenched the fist which held the strings, and Ai felt the stinging pain transform into a sharp piercing sensation.

Suddenly a large disk-like shape, made from seemingly red energy, was formed above the little Queen's head. At the same time, Ai felt her head was pulled back so her neck was exposed.

' _Is this the end…?'_

Ai's eyes slowly fluttered to a close.

Maybe she wasn't good enough after all. Whatever that meant. It is a pity she couldn't stay in this lovely world any longer. This was a truly, beautiful world…

 _ **No one would care if she died.**_

* * *

The Queen narrowed her eyes at the limp body of Alice. How strange to see a human body surrendering themselves so easily. Why was she hesitating? Usually, every victim presented would be desperately pleading for their life, for mercy, for anything to ensure they live.

 _ **No one**_... _ **care**_ … _ **die**_ …

The Queen paled as she gasped at the sound of the inhuman voice. She fixed Alice with her fiercest gaze.

' _This girl has…!'_

The Queen balled her hand into a tight fist before thrusting it upwards, as an act to secure her conscious connection with the disk form. It responded by giving a slow turn.

' _We need to cut her from the roots before it's too late!'_

Finally, the Queen threw the disk forward and it spun rapidly towards Alice's neck, like a spinning blade.

* * *

Smoke exploded in the room as the sound of an impact was made. The shock wave was strong enough to cause the heavy curtains to rustle, parting themselves to which the orange light of the setting sun trickled in.

Ai felt herself released from her red binds and collapsed onto the cold floor. She coughed on the remainder of the smoke, one hand delicately hovering over her neck which remained unscathed. That was when she noticed that a shadow had casted itself over her. Someone was standing in front of Ai. She slowly looked up.

Black leather boots. A long, dark tail poking out of a trench coat. A head of coffee brown hair with a pair of sharp ears.

She froze.

It was him.

The man stood over Ai, with his menacing blade in hair however, he was not facing her. Instead his gaze was fixed intently on the platform where the Queen and Knave were.

Red dust particles shimmered in the orange light as they silently fell in front of the man.

The Knave gave a last cough before noticing sudden appearance of the man. His golden eyes grew wide with alarm before he raced to crouched in a readied stance before of the Queen, his hand clutching at the hilt of his scabbard.

"Your Majesty…!" he cried in a warning tone.

The Queen stared back at the man. Her expression calm and collected yet there was fire burning in her pupils. "You," she hissed.

The man smirked as his sword melted away, before opening his arms out, dramatically. "I apologise for my sudden intrusion on your gathering," he announced, "However, where was my invite to this arrangement?"

The Queen's gaze narrowed at his words. "What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"Me?" The man played out an act of surprise before allowing his smirk to return, as he gestured towards Ai behind him. "Why, I am here for her," he replied, "I need this girl _alive_ , you see."

Ai had now found strength in her legs and was rising to her feet. She winced, her body was aching all over. She stole a glance towards the man. His back seems strong and confident. Ai frowned. What did he mean by needing her alive? Wasn't he trying to kill her mere hours ago?

A crease was forming on the Queen's forehead. "What do you mean, you need her alive?" she asked, "That girl does not deserve to be here. Also, she has already had _it_ implanted." Even though the Queen was not looking at her, Ai shrank back. Her gaze was like molten, yet the man remained cool and collected.

"Do not forget, Your Majesty," smirked the man, "I too, play a role in deciding Alice's worth and I have to say, I've experienced her powers myself."

The Queen, Knave and even Ai wore shocked expressions. Ai recalled the sight of the man lying couple of metres away from her, when she first encountered him. It was as if some great force had pushed him back… was that what he meant?

The Knave was the first to recover and he frowned at the man. "H-How dare you speak to her Majesty like that, Ch-!"

The ears, protruding from the man's head, pricked up and suddenly a tremor was felt, strong enough to vibrate walls and make the chandelier tickle softly.

"What in the world…?" gasped the Queen.

The tremor was felt again, as if making an assertion that something was happening. The door abruptly burst open and the twins tumbled in.

"Your Majesty!" Tweedledum called.

"Big problem!" wailed Tweedledee.

"We're under attack!" they cried out together.

The Hatter whistled cheerfully as he folded the tablecloth carefully before slipping it into his hat, which was standing on the meadow's ground, upside down. He tapped the hat lightly, and it jiggled madly. Spontaneously, the tables and chairs were all sucked into the top hat, and it gave a little belch afterwards. The Hatter then swept the hat back onto his head, before casting a worried glance up to the orange sky.

"Hmm, it'll be dark soon," he said.

The Pink Rabbit gave a small whine. "I guess snack time is over," she sighed.

The Hatter smiled. "Not until tomorrow~" he hummed.

"Yay!" cheered the Rabbit.

The March Hare however, said nothing. He was intently staring at the direction where Alice was dragged off in the afternoon, the direction to the Kingdom of Hearts. His ears stood alert.

He then turned to towards the Hatter and the Rabbit. "Let us hurry," he said sternly, "Before we become potential prey."

Ai flinched when the Queen shot her a glance. The Knave straightened up, "Where about?" he asked firmly.

"In district 2," replied Tweedledum.

"Right at the wall!" added Tweedledee.

"Do you know what rank it is?" the Knave asked.

The twins shared an uncertain look. "Maybe rank 2?" started Tweedledee.

"It is really big," replied Tweedledum, "Maybe leaning into rank 1?"

"An Anti…" the Queen murmured.

Suddenly there was another tremor which caused everyone to gasp. Then, the man abruptly spun around towards Ai, his coat flapping in the air. His eyes were ever so piercing. Taken back, she stumbled backwards as he leapt forward to her.

"Time for us to leave," he hissed as an arm wrapped around Ai's waist and pulled her to his torso. Ai stiffened at the contact as her sight was obscured by the bulk of his body, and she felt his weight pushing her towards the ground.

"W-Wha…!" Panicking, Ai tried to push him off as they fell towards the floor. Ai felt impact as if she had fallen into a pool, and then, Ai's ears felt was if water had entered them. She still felt the man's hold on her but she couldn't see anything. Muffled, watery sounds filled her ears and she felt as if she was being held upside down.

Then, as abruptly as it started, the watery sounds drained away and she felt upright again. It was if, she had surfaced and broken out of the water. And just like that, Ai felt herself fall onto grassy ground, bewildered. There was no weight on her, as if the man had never grabbed her in the first place.

She didn't know where she was.

And she didn't care.

Ai's head was still swimming. The soft grass underneath her was comforting and she felt herself being lulled to sleep.

The Queen stared out of from one of the tall windows in the castle, with her delicate arms crossed. A large dust cloud suddenly erupted from one of the giant walls which made up the districts in the Kingdom of Hearts. Her eyes narrowed at the sight.

How could one suddenly appear? Unless…

The Queen thought back to Alice. It couldn't be, could it? If it was true, then that Alice was more dangerous than she thought, unless Alice becomes more aware of what she is then, they have no other choice but to eliminate her; to protect the kingdom.

Her train of thought was interrupted by the familiar sound of leather shoes tapping on the marble floor. The Queen looked up as the Knave entered, bowing respectfully.

"How did the scouting go?" she inquired.

"I'm afraid the twins were correct," the Knave replied, "It is a rank 1 Anti, but our troops can handle it. It'll just take a while until we can completely defeat it." The Queen said nothing for a bit. The Knave cleared his throat nervously as he waited for her word.

"Then," she spoke, "You may join them as assistance."

There was a surprised pause.

"I…beg your pardon?"

She shot him an annoyed look. "I said you can go down there and help them out," she huffed, "It looks like they're struggling down there."

"But what about you, Your Majesty?" he nervously asked.

The Queen now fully spun around to look at him. Her brows were creased and her cheeks were puffed out, making her lips form a pout. "Why are you worrying about me?!" she cried, "I'm not that dependent that I always need you by my side! Do you not hear what I've said?! Just go!"

The Knave looked at her in surprise before chuckling softly and bowing. "Of course, Your Majesty," he replied, "I apologise for stalling. I'll leave now."

When he was about to leave, the Queen softly spoke.

"I know you will succeed."

He smiled to himself as he slipped out through the doors.

Ai woke to the humming of crickets. Something had stirred her from her slumber and when she opened her eyes; they immediately squeezed shut. She was bathed in the ghostly light of the moon. Ai slowly sat up, she felt disorientated and dizzy with sleep.

Where was she?

Ai looked around, but her surroundings were too dark to make out much. All she knew was that the moonlight was seeping through from a large jagged entryway. Instinctively, Ai got up and crept out.

The night air felt cold in her lungs and against her skin. The hum of crickets was clearer out here too. She kept walking until she came to realisation she was standing in the middle of a large clearing, like the meadow she first woke in.

Her eyes widened when she lifted her gaze towards the sky. The endless blue was now dyed an inky blue spangled with sequins of stars, each silently twinkling.

Ai turned back where she came from, and slowly took in a breath of awe. She had emerged from a jagged hollow of a great tree, resembling that of a tropical fig tree. It towered high into the air, standing around 5 to 6 metres tall. The bark was a ghostly white and its branches were stripped bare of leaves. The giant tree resonated a haunting, loneliness.

"What are you doing?"

The suddenness of the harsh voice startled Ai and she whipped around. The man stood over her. Piercing indigo eyes, mixed with displeasure, looked down on her.

"U-Um, I just woke up and was having a look around…," she slowly trailed off as he raised his eyebrows.

The corners of his lips tipped upwards. "Don't you know that it's dangerous to wonder alone at night?" he jibed.

The beautiful night scenery had suddenly lost its pleasantness. "Are you referring me to a child?" Ai growled, fixing a glare towards the man.

A bemused chuckle slipped from his lips. "Your actions speak of one," he replied. A fire was beginning to crackle inside Ai. He even grabbed her by the shoulders and began to steer her back towards to tree. "Now _child_ ," he said the word with devious mirth, "Back to bed for you."

The internal fire exploded as Ai slapped his hands off her. "I'm not a child!" she cried, "And you do not have the permission to touch me so easily! Second, how dare you mock me while you, yourself do not have the decency to even politely introduce yourself!"

Ai panted slightly at her sudden outburst. The man, however, looked unfazed instead his expression was unreadable. Suddenly, his ears twitched and he turned his gaze to the dark trees which lined the clearing.

"Ah, it looks like your tantrum has caught some unwanted attention."

"Huh…?" Ai looked at the direction in confusion. Did she hear some unusual, animal-like cry in the distant?

"Now is not the time to argue," he sighed, "We will exchange pleasantries afterwards, so please head back to the tree."

"But-"

" _NOW_." Ai flinched as his indigo eyes momentarily glowed saffron, so she silently nodded and hurried back to the giant tree, not daring to turn back.

* * *

The dust cloud cleared as men, dressed in deep red military coats, thrust their fists into the night air with a victorious cry. The Knave carefully made his way down from the large pile of rubble.

Once his foot touched the ground, the group of men surrounded him, all clapping his back and giving hearty words of praise.

"You made good work of it!"

"Damn, what would we do without you?"

"You absolutely slaughtered it, man!"

The Knave merely dipped his head in modesty. "Gentlemen, thank you for your kind words, but I merely assisted you," he replied humbly. His sabre was still sheathed and tied by a disciplinary knot.

There was a small outcry of protests as the Knave modesty scratched the back of his neck. Suddenly, there was a low rumble and red strings burst out from what was left of the wall. Slowly, the wall was pulled together by the threads and soon, it was back to its original state.

The men gave a small round of applaud at the sight and the Knave turned to the direction of the castle, feeling a proud, warm gaze from afar.

* * *

Ai looked up as she saw the jagged entrance opened in the tree's truck as the man stepped in. The entrance then sealed itself close, just like it did when Ai stepped back into the tree's hollow. He appeared…battered. There was a hint of tiredness etched into his face, as he walked in to light a small lantern, located on a shelf which was attached to the bark of the tree.

No words were spoken as Ai watched, warily, from where she sat, as the man coaxed light into the gloomy hollow. He then slipped his trench coat off and hung it on a coat hanger which protruded out of the tree's wall, revealing a black turtleneck sweater underneath.

Only after then, he finally turned towards her.

"Still awake, are we?" he asked.

Ai narrowed her eyes, and said nothing.

The man gave a long sigh, "Only a child would act in this manner by giving the silent treatment." He let out another sigh again, but this time, it sounded more tired than frustrated. "I suppose I owe you an introduction," he said.

He slowly sat down, being careful to allow a good distance between the two of them.

"So… do you want the short version or the long version?" he asked. Before Ai could replied, he simply waved her off, "Actually I'm feeling rather tired so let's do the short one."

Ai gave him an exasperated expression.

"In full honesty," he began, "I'm surprised at how dim-witted you are, to not have figured out who I am," he smirked before pointing to his ears, "I am the Cheshire Cat and I'll be acting as your guide to Wonderland."

There was a pause and Cheshire's smirk fell, "…What's with that expression?"

Ai was staring at him with wide eyes and a fish mouth. "Y-You're…. the Cheshire Cat?! I-I thought it was meant to be an actual cat! N-Not a human!" she cried.

Now it was Cheshire's turn to give her a deadpan expression. "You can't be serious, right? I mean, the ears, the tail…. You've even encountered other animal characters such as the Rabbit and the Hare…"

"S-Still! The Rabbit and Hare wore clothes in the book!" Ai spluttered, "The cat… the cat was a cat!"

Cheshire threw his head back with a groan. "Gosh…," he sighed, "You are probably the strangest Alice who had come here. I mean, I literally gave up on giving introductions since I would be immediately recognised."

Ai blinked before slowly leaning forward, curiosity sparkling in her eyes. "Why do you guys keep calling me 'Alice'?" she asked, "And has there been more… 'Alice' before me?"

His head snapped back to look at her. There was a pause, with only the sound of crickets to fill the silence. "Tell me about yourself first," he said.

"Eh?" Ai was taken back at the command, "M-Myself? I-I don't have much to say…"

He chuckled, "Let me guess. Average school girl. Probably top of the class. Doesn't associate with modern society and is seeking a much more… 'colourful world."

Ai inhaled sharply. "W-What? H-How…?"

Cheshire merely closed his eyes and smirked, cocking his head to the side with his tail waving in the air. "Let's say, maybe, I saw you," he hummed.

Blurry recollections of indigo eyes amongst flying pages came to mind. Before Ai could ask any more questions, Cheshire stood up and stretched.

"Well now, it's really time to sleep, _child_ ," he smirked at the word, "Tomorrow's another day." He then began to unpack a bundle of sheets which were stacked in a corner. First, he laid a large piece of cloth on the grassy floor before placing a mattress on top, and then throwing a blanket and pillow onto the mattress.

Ai stared in wonderment at the futon that was setup in front of her as Cheshire pointed to it. "This will be where you sleep," he explained.

"What about you…?" she asked.

Cheshire blinked. "I have a place to retire," he replied before giving another smirk, "Unless you have no shame with sleeping in the same space with a man?"

Ai's face heated up. "NO WAY!" she cried.

Cheshire chucked before swiftly clambering up the wall and stopping at one of the higher gaps in the tree's interior. He looked back down at her. "I shall bid you good night, Alice," he said, "or should I call you Ai Takamiya?"

Her eyes widened at the mention of her name. Then, he slipped through the gap and was gone into the night. Ai looked back down to the futon, which was bathed in the warm lantern's light.

So many things had happened and there were still so many questions bubbling inside her yet…

A wave of exhaustion washed over Ai and she gave a yawn. Ai plopped onto the futon and slipped off her boots before crawling under the warm covers. The lantern suddenly dimmed before slowing diminishing its light, as if sensing Ai's drowsiness.

She fell asleep, with the moon, shining its beams through the gaps, watching over her.

Cheshire sat on one of the branches of the tree, with his legs stretched out comfortably. He eyes were lifted to the starry sky.

"Perhaps she is the one," he muttered quietly, "The Alice that this world needs. Or…," his face darkened, "Perhaps she will be the next candidate to fall in line of those who have failed."

* * *

 **That's all for now, folks! Thank you again to Gandalf15 for your reviews and follow!**

 **To any other readers who are willing to read this, thank you! And don't be shy to throw in a review! Short or exceptionally long, I don't mind!**


	8. Summons- Part 1

**Hey guys! Sorry for the wait... I've been going through a lot in life. Plus, I've ran into a writer's block x-x**

 **I'll like to thank WyldClaw and Gandalf15 for their reviews ^^**

* * *

Mind's Wonderland

Summons

Black writing on white papers. White chalk equations on blackboard surface. A sea of black and white uniforms squashed in a room, with a grey sky outside. The ticking of a clock reverberated throughout the room.

A shaky hand reached out for a pen to write. As soon as the pen's point pressed itself on the page, the ticking halted.

There was a loud buzz, like that signalling a theatre's start, was heard as red ink bled throughout the white paper.

Ai stared at the red mess in front of her. Through her blank eyes, she saw a pair of heels.

* * *

She could hear the chirping of birds, and when Ai opened her eyes, she was greeted by sunlight filtering through. Her first thought was, where was she? She turned her head and her eyes focused on the blades of grass before she willed herself to sit up.

Ai could now see the bark walls of the tree's interior, along with the shelves and coat hanger.

There was no coat hanging from it.

The events from the previous day rushed back as Ai looked around for the Cheshire Cat.

He was nowhere to be seen.

She quickly got out of the futon and packed it away, stacking it in a corner. Ai then slipped on her boots and straightened her dress as much as she could. She hadn't realised that she didn't change when she fell asleep.

Would it be possible for her to get a spare change of clothes?

Ai then hesitantly approached the wall, which she knew housed the entrance. If only she could get it to open. Ai nervously extended a hand when the entry opened itself. Stepping out of the tree, Ai was ready to greet the morning with a view of the forest and the blue sky.

The first thing she saw instead, was Cheshire, standing in front of her with a bread slice hanging from his mouth. He had a large paper bag in his arm.

Using his free hand, Cheshire ripped the bread from his mouth. "Leaving so soon?" he asked before shooting Ai his signature smirk, "What? Did you commit a shameless act or something?"

Blood rushed to Ai's face at his implication. "No!" she cried, "I was hoping to enjoy a nice morning walk, _alone_."

Cheshire merely blinked. "Oh, you weren't planning on eating? Okay, then." He strolled past her, returning the bread slice to his mouth. "Have a nice walk."

As he passed her, Ai caught a delicious scent wafting from the paper bag. Her stomach gave a loud growl.

Oh… that's right. The last time she ate was when she encountered the Hatter. Ai slowly turned around. "What's in the bag…?" she asked stiffly.

Cheshire came to a halt and looked back at her. "Oh?" he finished the last bit of his bread, "I thought you were going for a stroll, _alone_." Mockery dripped from his voice and laughter danced in his eyes.

"I-I was just curious!" Ai protested. Her stomach growled again, stating otherwise. A blush crept on her face.

The paper was tossed towards her, and Ai hastily reached out to catch it. "Just some extras I got," Cheshire replied as he continued to walk into the hollow, "Call it a baker's dozen or something."

Ai stared after him before rummaging in the bag. She pulled out a sweet bun, which was still warm in her hands. Ai looked back in the bag. There was still two remaining at the bottom.

She ate, sitting in the clearing with her eyes staring at the blue oblivion above her. Being in this world felt almost dream-like. It was beautiful. Almost too beautiful to be real. But she could feel the grass underneath her, the warm sun on her skin and the breeze tickling her hair, bring in the vivid smell of wild flowers.

This couldn't be a dream.

The wind swept through her hair once more in assurance.

* * *

He walked out with a wet towel in hand, yawning. The coolness was slowly stirring his mind awake. If it hadn't been for the pangs of hunger, he would have slept to the afternoon. But, 5 minutes of power napping had helped.

Cheshire came to a halt. He belatedly stared out at the empty meadow.

She's gone.

"Heh… hehehe…" A chuckle slipped from his lips, as Cheshire ran a hand through his hair. "Interesting," he grinned, "Very interesting. Well then Alice, if you want to play hide and seek, we shall play hide and seek. I hope you're ready..."

* * *

It was music that lead her way. Ai had first wonder aimlessly; her sole goal was to put some distance between her and the irksome cat, when her ears caught a cheery tune. The music got louder, and Ai broke into a light jog before she emerged out to a familiar, colourful meadow.

The gramophone was sitting on the pedestal; an invisible hand turning its crank. At the head of the long table, the Hatter was sipping his cup loudly. His pixie green eyes lit up when Ai approached.

"Good morning, Alice!" he cried, jumping up from his chair and spilling his tea in the process. The Hatter ran up to her and grabbed her hand, giving it a vigorous shake before leading her to the table.

"May I tempt you to any of my treats?" He gestured towards the vast amount of plates.

"I-I already had something," Ai replied.

There was a pause and the Hatter's grin twitched a little. And did Ai hear an insulted gasp from the plates?

The Hatter then gathered some teacups and a teapot in his arms. "Are you thirsty?" he asked brightly, "How about some drinks?"

"Um… do you have water?"

All the colour drained from Hatter's face and his eyes grew glassy. Ai flinched when he started sniffing.

"Tea…," he whimpered, "I-I have tea…"

"O-Okay! Tea!" Ai cried hurriedly, "I'll take the tea!"

His eyes immediately brightened up. "Of course, my dear! Coming right up!" Ai watched as cups danced their way towards her before a teapot happily filled her cup. Ai took the cup gratefully, breathing in the aromatic scent.

"I see that you have _survived the night_."

Ai looked up as the Hatter sipped his cup. Was it her or did he say that with an undertone? She set her cup down. "What do you mean by that?" she asked. She remembered when Cheshire's expression when he told her to retreat to the hollow.

The Hatter blinked before humming in thought. "Let's say that Wonderland is a garden," he began slowly, "There are many different things growing here; both flowers and weeds. And we are the seeds sown into that garden. What do those seeds become? We do not know until it blooms but, remember there is also many factors in the garden that will affect the seed's growth; the condition of the environment, and parasites...," he trailed off as he lifted his cup and fixed his gaze on Ai, "So Alice, what will you grow into? A beautiful flower? Or an infectious weed?" He ended his speech with a sip.

Ai looked down at her reflection on the surface of her tea. Seeds, flowers, and weeds? "I don't understand…," she whispered.

"Sometimes ignorance is a bliss," replied the Hatter, placing his cup down.

"No!" Ai's reflection became distorted as she slammed her fist on the table, "Everyone always gives answers I can't understand! Why does everyone hide things from me?!" Images flashed in her mind; papers on a table, someone was smiling and a pair of heels before her mind crackled blank.

Silence dropped like a rock. The Hatter stared at Ai in surprised. Her face was shadowed, and she appeared faraway. Before he knew it, Hatter was reaching out towards her.

"Alice-"

A horse's whinny made both look up. Hatter dropped his hand. The sound of hoofs was fast approaching before a white stallion broke out of the trees, followed by two chestnut mares. Ai's eyes widened when she saw the white stallion's rider.

The Knave looked back in surprised.

His horse reared to a halt, and shook its head before giving a confused snort. "Alice! I didn't expect to find you here," the Knave smiled, "Let alone see you so soon."

Ai blushed, "S-same here."

The Hatter said nothing and sipped his tea loudly between the two.

A light blush dusted the Knave's cheeks as he gave a nervous cough. "I was actually on the task to locate you," he explained.

"Locate me…?"

"The Queen sent me out to look for you," he continued as he slipped off his mount, "It's just because well, you disappeared rather abruptly yesterday." He rubbed his neck before giving an awkward smile.

Ai paled slightly. "The Queen wants to see me…?" she whispered.

There was another loud slurp from the Hatter.

The Knave grimaced slightly at the noise before continuing, "She wishes to see you, regarding a rather important topic," Seeing Ai's confused expression, he goes on, "I'm afraid I do not know what she wants to discuss but please be rested assured, the subject is not related to yesterday's events."

He then extended his hand out towards her. Ai slowly reached out but hesitated.

"You better go, my dear, "spoke the Hatter, "She'll be angrier if you dismiss her." He gave an understanding smile.

Ai then placed her hand onto the Knave's. It felt warm and smooth, yet strong at the same time. He led her to his stead before helping her up. Before they rode away, the sun peeped out from the clouds and shone brightly into the meadow, causing shadows to grow long.

Hatter happened to glance at Ai's shadow on the ground and his eyes widened, yet it faded away as the sun hid back again. The white stallion gave a whinny before galloping off into the woods, with the accompanying horses following behind. Hatter merely resumed sipping his tea, with a secret smile on his lips.

* * *

 **Sorry, but that will be all for now. I'll try my best to continuing to bring these chapters to you! ...I hope you guys are enjoying this ;-;**


	9. Summons- Part 2

**I'm baaaaaaack! I apologise for the long wait! I've been stuck on a writer's block for a long time, as well as lacking the motivation/drive to write... *sigh***

 **I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

Mind's Wonderland

Summons- Part 2

Ai's face was burning red. She sat, side on, in front of the Knave, on his horse, and she was very conscious at how close they were together. It didn't help when the Knave had his arm around her as he guided his horse by the reins.

"Is this your first time?" the Knave asked.

"Huh…?" Ai stared up at him wide eyed, with her face burning hotter than before. First time? Did he mean first time as in…? Or could he mean…? He isn't implying that, is he?

The Knave blinked before innocently adding, "Your first time riding a horse," with a smile. Ai felt as if steam had blown out of her head and merely nodded. What was she thinking?

They soon exited out of the woods and entered inside the walls of the Kingdom of Hearts. The crowd of people quickly made way for them once they approached the busy street. Murmurs and whispers spread like wildfire amongst the crowd, all would throw glances towards Ai as she rode pass them.

She shrank away with each passing glance.

"Don't hide away, Alice," he spoke softly, "There are many who wish to be in the position you are now. You would only infuriate them by hiding away." He smiled down at her and Ai couldn't help but nod at his words.

Yet there was something about some of the glances that unnerved her.

"Sir," one of the accompanying man spoke up, "I think we should pick up our pace. The crowd is thickening."

"Then prepare to clear the path ahead," the Knave replied, "There is no need to rush." He then looked back down at Ai, "We wouldn't want our guest to be too uncomfortable on her first ride."

Ai blushed. Why did she felt lightheaded and flustered with every word he directed at her?

Suddenly his grip on her waist tightened. "Hang on, Alice," he said, "It's going to get a little bumpy; stairs."

True to his words, Ai found herself uncomfortably bouncing along on a slant. One big bump caused her to collide into the Knave's torso. She blushed heavily as gravity prevented her to sit back upright. All she could do was lean against his sturdy build. Ai felt the Knave grow slightly tense.

He cleared his throat. "Are you, all right?" he asked quietly.

"Y-Yes," Ai whispered. His body radiated warmth and she could feel his muscles moving along with the horse.

"We're almost there," the Knave replied, "I hope you're not too uncomfortable."

Ai shook her before realising she had rubbed her head against him. "I-I'm sorry!" she cried and gratefully pulled away once the ground had levelled.

The Knave swallowed before smiling, "It's okay." He looked up ahead, "Here we are," he announced. They passed through tall, golden gates and the familiar castle loomed over them. Stablemen rushed out to meet them and the Knave helped Ai down from his mount. He led her to the door.

A smartly dressed man curtly bowed as they passed through. "Welcome back, sir," he said.

The Knave acknowledged him with a nod. "Please inform her Majesty that I have brought Alice, according to her summons."

The butler straightened before replying, "I'm afraid her Majesty is preoccupied with someone now," he paused before continuing, "and she wishes not to be disturbed."

The Knave blinked in surprised, "I was not informed of this," he said.

"It was rather… unexpected, sir. However, I'll notify you once she is finish." The Knave thanked the man before continuing his way through the corridors. Ai hastened to follow.

She glanced up at the Knave. He looked deep in thought. "What will happen now?" Ai asked quietly.

Upon hearing her voice, the Knave blinked and smiled at her. "We will have to wait," he said, "In the meantime, may I show you around? I'm sure you will enjoy the royal gardens. Just," he placed a finger to his lips, "Don't let her Majesty know. The gardens aren't open to just anyone."

Ai followed the Knave down the corridor. Detailed paintings and vases full of flowers lined the red, wallpapered walls, along with imposing marble busts of severe looking figures. At last, they stopped at a pair of white doors, decorated with golden vines.

The Knave turned back to Ai with a smile, "Are you ready?"

She nods, and he pushed open the doors.

Golden sunlight met Ai followed by the burst of green. A clean, paved path winded its way through the garden, made up of perfectly trimmed grass and hedges. The flowers swayed delicately in the breeze. Ai eagerly rushed forward, following the path to inspect each beautiful fauna in their respective patch.

The Knave watched her with a warm smile. There was something about her, when she wondered through nature, that made her more beautiful than ever. The way she would laugh or coo in awe, how she seemed to dance through her surroundings and her eyes; especially how her eyes would glisten in curiosity, appreciating each and little thing and their own individual beauty.

Ai stopped to gaze in wonder at a patch of roses. Each flower was either a passionate red, creamy white, or soft pale pink. Their beauty was almost on par with the Duchess's rose garden yet there was something about their beauty that was contained, while the Duchess's almost thrived wildly.

She heard the Knave walk up beside her. "Beautiful, aren't they?" he asked, "They are the pride and joy of our royal garden."

"Yes, they are very pretty," Ai replied. They stood in silence, next to one another, taking in the sight of the flowers. Clouds drift overheard, casting large shadows below.

Ai swept her gaze through the garden.

" _There are many different things growing here; both flowers and weeds… we are the seeds sown into that garden…"_

The Hatter's words echoed in her mind.

" _So Alice, what will you grow into? A beautiful flower? Or an infectious weed?"_

"Knave…?"

"Yes?"

"Are there…any weeds here?" she asked softly.

He peered at her curiously. "No," he replied, "The gardener would have removed any weeds, and they would be burned in the furnace."

"Are there any weeds in Wonderland…?" she asked, a little more firmly.

The Knave blinked, "What do you…" he trailed off. His expression suddenly turned stern, almost grey with the drifting shadows of the clouds. "Alice…"

Suddenly a cold wind blew, and a large cloud blocked out the sunlight. The Knave's eyes widened as he saw Ai's shadow grow long.

His brow creased. "To whoever is concealing their presence," he declared, "Show yourself!"

And just like an actor walking out of the wings and onto the stage, the Cheshire Cat stepped out gracefully from behind Ai.

* * *

 **Sorry if the chapter is short...** **I'll try to upload the next chapter soon!**

 **Anyway, I'll like to ask for any character feedback~ Is Ai and the Knave cute together? How do you feel about Cheshire Cat?**

 **I'll do my best to uphold my promise of the next chapter! See ya!**


	10. Summons -Part 3

Mind's Wonderland

Summons- Part 3

And just like an actor walking out of the wings and onto the stage, the Cheshire Cat stepped out gracefully from behind Ai.

Ai jumped back, in surprise. "H-How did you…?" she spluttered.

The Knave stepped forward, almost protectively in front of Ai. "Why are you here, Cheshire Cat?" he asked sternly.

Cheshire merely smirked back. "It seems she have rubbed off some of her hatred for me onto you," he hummed.

Ai remained silent. There seemed to be tension between the two… thick enough to cut with a knife, and she didn't want to get caught between anything messy.

"What were you doing hiding in Alice's shadow?" demanded the Knave, "How low could you stoop to invade a lady's privacy?"

"Me? Low?" Cheshire mocked a gasp, "No, I'm afraid you're accusing the wrong person, Knave. _That_ person was low enough to sneak off on her own." Ai froze when he pointed a finger to her. Blood rushed to her cheeks.

"N-No! I-I did no such thing!" she protested.

"Oh my, I never knew our Alice would stoop low enough to lie as well," sighed Cheshire, "How very disappointing."

"Stop humiliating her!" the Knave snapped.

"Excuse me, sir." They fell silent and all turned to an uncomfortable looking butler. "Her Majesty is ready to see you…," he stammered.

"Thank you," replied the Knave, "We will leave now." He beckoned Ai to follow and only frowned as Cheshire followed as well. They all walked back into the castle and headed towards the throne room. Strangely though, the doors of the throne room were flung open.

The Knave froze momentarily at the entrance. Ai peered past him, into the room.

A maid was on her hand and knees in the middle of the room, scrubbing furiously at a large dark stain on the marble floor. Her concentration in the simple task seemed to mask some sort of disturbed emotion. Several other maids were sprinkling salt around the room. Tension could be felt under the thin ice of silence.

The Queen was nowhere to be seen.

Ai glanced up at the Knave, who was slightly pale while Cheshire remained indifferent beside her.

' _Something bad had happened here,_ ' Ai thought nervously.

"May I ask, where is the Queen?" the Knave asked as one of the maids passed nearby.

"H-Her Majesty?" the maid appeared very nervous, "She immediately left after… the meeting. I think she retired to her room."

"Thank you." The Knave turned and walked away quickly. Ai ran after him.

"D-Do you think the Queen still wants to see me?" she asked quietly.

"Her Majesty does not cancel a summon so easily," replied the Knave, "Especially with an Alice. Don't worry, I'll ensure you will remain safe."

Cheshire coughed at his words, earning a glare in return. They arrived at a redwood door. The Knave knocked tentatively.

"Come in," came a soft reply.

He turned the knob and opened the door for them. They walked into a large, maroon room. There was a four-post bed at one end, and a large dresser and desk on the other, alongside with an unlit fireplace. Two doors were located to each other on one wall; one leading to the bathroom, the other opening into a walk-in wardrobe.

A breeze passed through glass doors, located at the far most wall, which led to a balcony. There the Queen sat at a small white table. She looked up as the Knave led them out. Her amber eyes lacked life and she appeared tired; exhausted even, which made her appear older despite her small stature. The Queen regarded the Knave with a nod as he walked to stand behind her and gestured Ai to sit at the table. Her eyes grew wearier when they landed on Cheshire.

"No animals on the furniture," she said as Cheshire was about to sit as well. He sighed at her words and stood beside Ai.

"How did your earlier meeting go?" the Knave asked hesitantly.

There was a pause before she replied, "Fine." Yet Ai noticed her tiny hands trembled a little. The Queen glanced up at Knave before turning back to Cheshire. "I guess, it's time to assign Alice the task then," she sighed.

Knave's eyes widened before looking down at the little figure seated. "Y-Your Majesty, you can't be serious to consider having her do that, are you?" he cried.

The Queen pinched the bridge of her nose. "Knave, I'm not really in the mood for any protests…," she grumbled.

"But, Your Majesty, think of all the other Alices who didn't-"

"Knave…" her voice had developed a dangerous edge to it. Knave halted in his sentence when he caught Cheshire's adamant expression.

"O-Other Alices…?" repeated Ai.

Cheshire glanced down, "Nothing to worry your silly little head about," he replied, "Please continue, _Your Majesty_ ," he said the title with his signature grin. Ai swore she saw a vein pop in the Queen's forehead.

' _Oh, she did not like being addressed by him.'_

"Do you like Wonderland, Alice?" asked the Queen.

Ai jumped at the question, "O-Oh, yes. Y-Yes, I do," she stammered.

The Queen nodded at her answer, "What do you like about it?"

"Eh, what do I like? W-Well, um…"

"Do you like its beauty or the destruction of it?"

Ai froze, "What…?"

"Wonderland is like two sides of a coin," began the Queen, "You, Alice, are the edge between the two faces which fall on either side. You don't have to understand what I mean but… do you wish to stay here?" Her amber eyes almost burning into Ai's pupil as she locked eye contact.

"I… I may not have seen much of Wonderland still," Ai started, "But, if I am to be honest, it appears much more pleasant than the world-"

"So, you wish to stay?" It was as if a small hypnotic flame flickered in the depths of the Queen's eyes.

"Yes…"

"Then, if you wish to stay, you must prove your worth as an Alice," said the Queen, "Your task will be to seek the guardians of the four suits of Wonderland; Hearts, Spades, Clover and Diamond. Retrieved what you need from them and then, will you be accepted into Wonderland. If you do fail however, it would be off with your head, or something much worse," she quietly added.

Ai slowly nodded. If this grants her acceptance to this world, then yes. Anything for her to remain here. Anything for her to start anew, to live in a colourful world and… forget.

"That is all I wish to inform you," finished the Queen, "Now, you may go for I'm rather tired-"

"Excuse me, you Majesty," Ai spoke. The Queen's eyes widened at her interruption. "But, may I ask, what is the other side of Wonderland? Are there weeds here? Because-"

"Alice," the Queen's voice had lowered, and a shadow had fallen across her small face, "You seem to have many questions that rather go unanswered than be said. Watch that loose tongue of yours and maintain control over your inquisitiveness, then, hopefully, you might never have to see the other side of the coin."

A chill ran down Ai's spine at the Queen's undertone words. "Now," she sighed, "I really must rest. Knave, would you please escort them out?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," the Knave bowed. As they were about to leave, she piped up once more.

"And Alice, do make sure you take that mangy cat out with you. The very presence of that feline drives me insane."

Ai could only nod as Cheshire blinked and stuck his tongue out to the Queen. The Knave pushed him out as a dark aura erupted around the little ruler. She watched them leave and whispered quietly to herself, "You'll need him…"

* * *

 **Hello everyone! I apologise for the long absence, I've been going through a lot of "ups and downs" and struggling to push myself to continue posting on Fanfiction.**

 **I hope you enjoy this chapter~ Please let me know your thoughts in your reviews :3**


	11. The Kingdom of Hearts- Part 1

Mind's Wonderland

The Kingdom of Hearts- Part 1

The Knave bowed deeply before Ai as she too, returned the action. They now stood outside the castle. "I apologise I cannot accompany you any further," he said as he straightened up, "I'm afraid there is a mountain of paperwork needing my attention, now that the Queen is resting."

Ai shook her head, "No, I enjoyed my time with you. Thank you for everything." Cheshire yawned loudly.

The Knave's eyes flickered towards Cheshire before returning to Ai, and he smiled that charming smile of his. "Until we meet again, Alice," he said and then the Knave closed the door, still smiling.

It was until the door clicked close that Ai realised she was alone, with Cheshire. It was as if the chirping of birds replaced those of crickets.

"So, was that love at first sight or something?" snickered Cheshire, "I have to say he is the top bachelor in the Kingdom of Hearts."

Ai spun around with flushed cheeks. "I-It's like nothing that!" she cried.

"Oooh?" he smirked with raised eyebrows, "All the other bachelorettes were already burning with envy at how close you two were on horseback."

Ai's face burned hotter at the memory. She could still feel the sturdy built of the Knave's torso, and the warmth that emitted from underneath his coat… "W-We weren't that close!"

"Oh please," the Cheshire frowned, "I was squashed in between you two."

"Wha-" The pleasant memory was shattered by the image of Cheshire stealing a ride with them. "H-How long have you been hiding in… my shadow?" Ai asked.

He grinned, "That's for me to know and you to never find out." The Cheshire then turned and started to walk away. "Catch your shadow later then, Alice," he called.

"H-Hey! Wait!" she ran after him, "Aren't you my guide? What about the task the Queen gave us?"

He stopped abruptly, and Ai skidded to a halt, almost colliding with him. He sighed as if he was dealing with a child before fixing those piercing eyes on her. "There is no 'we' in the Queen's quest," he said, "Only ' _you_ '. It is your choice whether to embark on her task or not. And yes, I am a guide, but I can only point out directions or put you on a right path. It all falls onto you to decide if you heed it or not, _Alice_." He hissed the name.

There was a short pause. "So, where would I find this guardian?" Ai asked quietly.

The Cheshire sighed again, "I'm not a cheat sheet either," he replied, "Just take your time and have a look around. Then, ask yourself 'what is the values of this place?', 'what does it need?' or should I say lack?" He then resumed walking. Ai watched him grow further away with each step he took.

' _How would Wonderland be lacking something?'_

She then ran after the retreating black figure, into the streets of the Kingdom of Hearts.

* * *

The Kingdom of Hearts was made of 3 districts, all fitted together in one big circle but divided by tall walls. The palace and its grounds were in the circle's core; the Heart. The first district was called Crème de la Crème; cream of the cream. This was the place where the Kingdom of Hearts' prosperity was shown off, in flare.

Elaborate shop signs hung on horizontal poles, exclaiming emporiums, jewellers, patisseries and many more. Gentlemen and woman, all lavishly dressed, strolled the cobblestone streets, with the occasional horse-driven carriage passing.

Ai found herself standing amongst all this, bewildered by the hustle and bustle.

She suddenly caught herself and began to frantically look around. Ai spotted Cheshire's tall back amongst the crowd and, desperately winded her way through. He was advancing quickly, making it seem as if he's melting into the crowd.

"Hey!"

Ai whipped around to see a woman with a scowl on her white powdered face. Her red silk dress was laced so tight that her bosom popped out, like two puppies straining to escape their basket. Ai immediately averted her gaze.

"Look, just because you're special enough to be escorted, doesn't mean you can go parading around like royalty!" hissed the woman, pointing her fan accusingly in Ai's face.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"Don't go thinking that you've stole a ride with the Knave of Hearts, you're worthy of respect," the woman spat before she walked away, taking her great rack with her. Ai bit her lip and took a deep breath. She scanned the crowd, but the Cheshire had simply vanished.

Feeling lost, Ai caught her reflection in a shop's window. Mannequins displayed lavish dresses of frills, lace and ruffles. Looking at her own simple black dress, Ai felt a small pang in her chest. No wonder the woman turned her nose up at her… The chime of bells made Ai break her gaze towards her reflection.

"Oh, my, goodness! I have found a tragic Cinderella at my shopfront!"

The voice belonged to a woman with a wavy bob. A measuring tape dangled from around her neck. She clicked her tongue loudly. "This will not do!" she exclaimed, "Come, come!" Before she could protest, Ai was grabbed by the arm and was whisked into the shop.

The walls of the shop were lined with giant rolls of fabrics, each capturing a unique colour and pattern, along with spools of ribbon and lace. Two giant mirrors stood adjacent to each other. The woman then stationed Ai in the middle of the room, between the mirrors.

"Now, stay still and don't move," said the woman as she pulled the measuring tape as if it was a lasso, and begin taking Ai's measurements. Ai stood there, bewildered. It was only when the tape held across her chest and the woman sighed sadly, that Ai felt the urge to run away crying.

"So what style are you after, dear Cinderella?" the woman asked while jolting the measurements onto a small notepad.

"Um… well, you see… I didn't ask for a dress…"

"Then let's go for something that will hug that slim figure of yours, and hopefully put some justice on your size," she nodded at Ai's chest. Ai tentatively hugged herself.

' _W-what are the expectations of the people from Hearts? I-I'm only a B…'_

The woman finished scribbling with a flourish and then ripped off the page. "Now, let's make the dress." She threw the page up into the air and it glowed softly.

"And we must remove those rags of yours." A large screen raced to conceal her.

As the fabric pieces wrap around Ai, the lady would place pins to hold the various pieces to her body. Soon a light illuminated from the pieces as they slowly form and take shape to Ai's Body. The piece of paper that was in the air, now floated down to the table nearby with all the tailor's equipment. Ai snuck a peek at the paper which faintly revealed her dress and measurements that had been noted down.

The woman then pulled a shoulder-to-knee length fabric tight to Ai's torso, with arm holes forming before clipping it with a few pins to the back.

Ai looked back to the mirror to see her new dress slowly forming to her body, with little effort. The tailor looked back at her with a smile. She blushed as she felt the dress tighten around her chest.

With a few pulls and touches to the torso the dress was finally complete as the glow dimmed and ceased as if the tailor had sown it herself. Ai now wore a short, red dress with off-shoulder, puffed sleeves, along with black stockings and red heels. She also wore elbow-length gloves. Looking over to the mirror, Ai's ribbon had changed from a simple, white one to a red satin bow, trimmed with black lace.

"Beautiful," breathed the tailor, "You are ready to walk the streets, proudly now!"

"Oh, um… but-" The dress was shorter than her previous and having nothing to cover her shoulders, Ai felt more exposed.

"No need to thank me! Here," the tailor handed Ai's a brown paper package, "Your old attire is stored in here.

"No, wait-"

"Don't worry about the cost! A gift from me to you! Now, enjoy flaunting your beauty out there!" And Ai was shoved out of the shop with the door closing before she object. Looking back at her reflection at the shopfront, Ai really did look different.

Feeling even more lost and confused, she hugged the package closer to her, and stepped into the bustling crowd of the Kingdom of Hearts.

* * *

Pants expelled from his lungs, frantically as he ran through the catacomb of alleyways. The sound of fast approaching footsteps, from behind, made him pump his legs faster. His heart was pounding painfully in both his chest and ears.

' _How the hell did things come to this?'_

Firstly, he was just going about his own business when _that_ person came, and the very words that left their lips had sent him fleeing for his life.

' _How the hell did he know?'_

He skidded to an intersection, and frantically looked both left and right. He could run out to the streets but, knowing the condition of them, the crowd would only hinder his pace. He bolted for the right, into the gloom of the alleyways.

Soon, he lost focus on where he was running. He made turns on a snap decision. All the dark grey, slab walls began to look the same, with their faded advertisement posters. There would be times he ran opposite to an obstruction; he couldn't waste time in moving them.

And then, he found himself at a dead end.

' _No, no, no, no…! This can't be happening!'_

He cried out when he saw a single shadow loom over him. Instinctively, he backed against the wall. "P-please, don't hurt me," he croaked, "What do you want from me?"

His chaser remained silent.

The silent broke the remains of his cool. "The hell you want?!" he screamed, "I'll do anything! I can give you anything! Just don't kill me!" His broken voice echoed off the walls, unheard to anyone except his chaser.

Again, there was no response.

His breaths escaped in wheezes. His eyes, delirious with panic. "You want power? I can give you power! You want money? Here! Take it!" He fished in his jacket before throwing a fat pouch onto the ground.

The chaser took a step forward. He froze. An arm stretched out and pluck the pouch off the ground. It was weighed, decisively, in the hand. Then the shadow slowly retreated from him. His body slumped in relief, and a dry laugh escaped his lips.

' _People are so easy to persuade with money.'_

Everything was going to be fine… until he heard the rustle of clothing, signalling someone turning around.

Red splashed against the nearby walls.

* * *

 **Just posting any chapter since I felt really bad for the absence ;-;**

 **Things might be taking a slight(?) dark turn here and there, and probably further on...**

 **Thanks again to Gandalf15 for your constant support~! Here, have a cookie.**


	12. The Kingdom of Hearts- Part 2

**I just wanted to give a shout-out to Gandalf15. I love how you described that Cheshire "doesn't take no crap from nobody". That's a perfect description for him XD**

* * *

Mind's Wonderland

The Kingdom of Hearts- Part 2

It was a red rose, that caught Ai's attention amongst the crowd. The large, silk rose fluttered gently in the air with strings of pearls dangling from it. She had seen the hair ornament before and quickly made her way towards it.

"E-excuse me!"

The Duchess turned around. She had shopping bags hanging from her arms, and she held three, small boxes in her arms, each stacked on top of each other. Her fan dangled from her wrist.

"Oh, it's you Alice," she said.

"Sorry to intrude-"

"Alice, can you place that package of yours on top here?" Ai blinked and saw the Duchess lower her load, nodding at the boxes. Ai gingerly did as she was told. "Thank you. Now, you may carry these." And so, the boxes were shoved into Ai's arms.

Ai had to peek out from the sides to see. "Um… you want me to carry these?" she timidly asked.

The Duchess nodded, "Yes, until I can call a carriage home. Follow me."

They walked along the cobblestone streets until they came across a stationed horse carriage and its driver. The Duchess exchanged a curt conversation with him and he was happy to give her a lift, however they would need to wait as he had to water his horse. They had been busy this afternoon and both the driver and horse, seemed a little run down.

The Duchess didn't grumble or show any signs of frustration, instead she nodded and even added for them to take their time. Now, she and Ai were standing along a wall of the shops, patiently waiting. In Ai's case, enduring to keep her burden from falling. Neither said a thing, so Ai felt compelled to remain silent unless she was spoken to.

Ai snuck a glance towards the Duchess. She was merely staring off into the crowd; thick lashes hooded her faraway eyes. She really was beautiful, with an air of dignity around her, and her beauty was natural. Her mature, oval face was not powdered and didn't even have a touch of rouge on her skin.

Maybe there was another reason why Ai had recognised her amongst the crowd.

"Why, it is the Duchess of Hearts!"

A couple approached the two. The man held his chin high and arrogance filled his eyes. His pupils slowly roved up Ai's stocking-covered legs. She bit back repulsion and was glad the boxes she held, covered her upper half.

The woman wore a dress with no straps or sleeves, instead black lace gloves covered her arms. A slit in the dress left her left leg completely exposed. Her devilish smile unsettled Ai.

The Duchess inhaled sharply beside Ai before walking over the meet the two. Ai noticed her grip on her fan seemed to have tightened. "Hello there," smiled the Duchess, "What a pleasant surprise to bump into you two."

It was the woman who replied first. "My, it must be a coincidence to run into you again. It would seem this location is a favourite for... Clothes? Groceries?"

"I do believe so, my dear," chuckled her partner, "There seems to be an endless variety that even the Duchess herself, comes here often."

"Yes indeed, and who might you be? I've never seen this... tasteful young lady before." Ai shivered when the woman directed her gaze onto her

"Ah, yes please introduce us," nodded the man, "She does not appear to be a servant or slave, after all."

The Duchess snapped her fan open and gently fluttered it. "Oh, her? She is merely an assistant of mine," she replied breezily, "I've taken the liberty for her to accompany me with some shopping."

"My, why would you do such a thing?" the woman gasped, "Is she not just a mere assistant? She appears nothing more than a fashionable commoner to travel these parts."

"What I do with my assistants, is none of your concern," the Duchess said lightly yet her smile almost seemed strained now. She turned to Ai, "Come my dear, we have some business to attend to and we best not keep the driver waiting. Good day, to you both."

They turned to head towards the carriage. The Duchess looked behind, and saw the man reaching out towards Ai's skirt as she walked pass him. A sharp burst of wind slapped his hand, causing him to jump back. Ai peeked out from behind the boxes to see the Duchess holding her fan out; her maroon eyes now chilling.

"Do keep your hands to yourself. After all, I believe you wish to keep it for someone else."

The man scowled. The woman frowned, "How rude," she huffed, yet she wasn't referring to her partner. She was glaring at the Duchess.

"Let us go our own way," grumbled the man and they left.

Ai handed the driver the boxes, remembering to take her own package before nervously glancing at the Duchess. "Is everything alright?" she asked.

The Duchess lightly fanned herself, "Watch yourself as you make your way through here."

"Hi Miss Duchess!" A splash of pink burst from the crowd, followed by floppy, cloth ears. The Pink Rabbit skipped up to them.

"It's you, Rabbit," nodded the Duchess, "Good timing for I was about to return home. Can you look after Alice in this place?"

The Rabbit's eyes lit up at the sight of Ai and happily nodded. "Of course! I was looking for someone to help me too!" she giggled.

' _More assisting…?'_

"How fortunate that you have Alice with you now," smiled the Duchess. Ai awkwardly laughed in response while the Rabbit happily linked arms with her. They both waved farewell as the carriage departed.

"So, what can I help you with?" Ai nervously asked.

The Rabbit beamed at her, "Nothing much," she replied, "We're just gonna grab as much food as we can carry!"

"F-Food…? Why?"

"You'll see!"

They spent most of the afternoon, lining up to some of the best eateries of the Kingdom. The Rabbit had gotten her hands on a small cart, which they used to store the dishes they ordered in.

Ai had not yet figured how the pricing worked here but glancing at the menus of each restaurant or café they stopped at, Ai had a feeling what they were ordering was expensive. One dish she saw listed, was worth 100 gold coins.

What concerned Ai more was that the Rabbit wasn't just ordering one or two dishes, she had ordered a maximum of fifteen so far…

They mainly ordered simple meals such as rice dishes, stews, and salads yet knowing the prices such meals came with, the simplicity was made up for the high-quality ingredients they used.

"Um, Rabbit? What are we doing with all the food?" Ai asked after they had made like their fifth or sixth stop. She was pushing the small cart down the cobblestone streets, while the Rabbit led the way from the front.

"It's a surprise!" the Rabbit giggled, "And don't worry, we'll be able to tuck in ourselves too!"

Ai glanced down at the full cart she was pushing. "Can I ask you another question, Rabbit?"

"Yes, Alice?" The Rabbit inclined her head towards Ai.

"Where did you get all the money for this?"

There was a pause. The Rabbit gave Ai a small smile before pulling out a large coin pouch, which was almost empty. "You can say, someone gave me this," she answered. Her eyes sparkled in the bright sunlight, yet Ai felt she wasn't tell the whole truth.

They continued down the streets and Ai noticed the crowd began to wane, until they passed through a large stone archway, within a tall stone wall. Ai almost stopped in shock at what she saw.

Unlike the fancy, clean buildings of District 1, the buildings here were like cardboard boxes stacked on top of each other, and each tower squashed beside one another. Wet laundry hung from washing lines, suspended high overheard.

"Welcome to District 2 of the Kingdom of Hearts," announced the Rabbit cheerfully.

The people who walked the streets were different as well. They wore simplistic clothing and, compared to District 1's bold, bright colours, their clothes were the raw colours of the materials they were made from.

Some pedestrians would be labouring such as pulling loaded carts or carrying large wooden boxes. Women would call out from windows high overhead, to either a hardworking spouse or scolding the children that ran along the streets.

The Rabbit lead them further down, with Ai noticing they were heading towards one of the gigantic walls that held in the Kingdom of Hearts. They passed a bustling marketplace where merchants would be calling out their products, customers haggling over their ideal merchandise, and street food were sold. It was more crowded than the streets of District 1, but the Rabbit managed to guide Ai and the cart through.

They pressed on, leaving the noisy bustle of the marketplace behind and passed more cardboard towers of houses. Now, Ai grew concerned whether the food they carried had grown cold by now.

Suddenly her heel landed on the ground of a squelch. Ai looked down to see that her shoes was in mud. The cobblestone streets had ended and what lay beyond were houses, that looked they were barely standing, scattered about. They were now so close to the wall, that the sunlight was blocked out, leaving the ground wet. Even the air felt cool here.

"Hey, everyone!" the Rabbit called out, "Food is here!"

Pale, sunken faces peered out from the shadows and soon ragged people ran, limped or staggered to the cart. Ai watched in amazement as the Rabbit handed the dishes she had bought to each family; the number of dishes she distributed was determined on how big each family were.

Some would return to their crooked houses while others sat nearby, on crates or the ground, ravenously eating their meal. Each bite they took was like a blessing on them. The lifelessness of their faces seems to grow brighter as they partake of the food they received.

After they served the last of the people, the Rabbit handed their own respective meals with her ever so bright smile.

As she ate, Ai couldn't help but slowly take in what she saw in front of her. If felt as if they had stepped into an entire different world. The sparkling scenery of District 2 felt so faraway instead of being on the other side of a stone wall.

"Rabbit… what exactly is this place?"

The Rabbit held her spoon inside her mouth for a bit before slowly pulling it out. Her smile never left her face yet, as she looked out at the eating family, her face saddened. "This place doesn't have an official name," she softly replied, "But people eventually called it…. The Slums of the Heart."

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 **Hope you guys caught the subtle hint in this chapter.** **Stay tune for more chapters and cookies!**


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